Ezzbet Al-Nasr_IUSD Integrated Case Study_2013

Page 1

MSc Integrated Urbanism & Sustainable Design (IUSD)

The Integrated Case Study A Case Study for Informal Settlements The Case of Ezzbet Al-Nasr Cairo - Egypt 2012/2013

Author IUSD LAB Cairo


aa


MSc Integrated Urbanism & Sustainable Design (IUSD)

The Integrated Case Study A Case Study for Informal Settlements The Case of Ezzbet Al-Nasr Cairo - Egypt 2012/2013

Author IUSD LAB Cairo


Š IUSD Masters Program, 2012 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form of by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of IUSD-ASU, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. All rights reserved

Dar el-Kutub no. 15852/2014 ISBN 978-977-237-382-6

aa


MSc Integrated Urbanism & Sustainable Design (IUSD)

Disclaimer ‘A Case Study for Informal Settlements - The Case of Ezzbet Al-Nasr’ is produced as a part of the Integrated Case Study (ICS) module for the Masters of Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design. The ICS and associated publications would not have been possible without the support of variety of donors and partners organizations, which are thanked collectively as follows: IUSD is funded by DAAD, BMZ, BMF, MoHE The ICS 2012/2013 is generously supported by the GIZ The ICS 2012/2013 is held at Ain Shams University - Egypt Federal Ministry of Education

Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation

Ministry of Higher Education

Contacts: MSc Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design www.iusd.uni-stuttgart.de Ain Shams University

Faculty of Engineering El Sarayat street 1, Abbassia, Cairo-Egypt Fax: 0020222728225 Email: iusd@eng.asu.edu.eg


aa


IUSD Class 2012/2013 Ayham Mouad Baher Al-Shaarawy Ebtihal Zakaria Eslam Mahdy Franziska Laue Ghevar Ismaiel Insaf Ben Othmane H. Lisa Deister Lobna Mitkees Manal Fakhouri Mohamed Amer Hegazy

Mohammed Abdel Aziz Mona Farouk Al-Kabbany Muna Sha‘alan Nahla Nabil Makhlouf Mahmoud Omar Wanas Pia Lorenz Rasha Arous Sandy Qarmout Zaineb Madyouni Zeina Al-Cheikh

Ain Shams Teaching Staff Prof. Mohamed Salheen Assistant Prof. Marwa Debaieh Ain Shams Assisting Team Eng. Mai Sabry Eng. Nourhan El-Zafarany Eng. Nashwa Emad Guest Lecturers Eng. Mohamed Abu Samra, Urban Planning and Community Consultant at UN Habitat Eng. Ihab Shaalan, Habitat Program Manager at UN Habitat Eng. Hassan El Mouelhi, PhD Candidate, TU Berlin Regina Kipper, GIZ Coordinator, Youth Fast-Track Measures Editors Assistant Prof. Marwa Abdel Latif Eng. Ebtihal Zakaria Eng. Nouran Azouz Eng. Nashwa Emad Graphic Designer Eng. Mustafa Mamdouh


aa


Table of Contents Introduction IX An Overview XI Chapter 1 The Integrated Case Study (ICS): The Teaching Process 1 1.1 Learning Objectives of the Case Study Module 1 1.2 Structure of the Case Study Module 2 1.3 Case Study Selection 3 1.4 Teaching Methodology 5 1.5 Teaching Tools 8 Chapter 2 The Integrated Case Study (ICS): The Integrated Planning Process 15 2.1 Phase 1: Urban Profiling 16 2.1.1. Site Observation 16 2.1.2. Site Analysis 17 2.2 Phase 2: Gaps and Needs Assessment 19 2.2.1. Identification of Issues 19 2.2.2. Stakeholder Identification 21 2.2.3. Prioritization of Issues 23 2.3 Phase 3: Fast Track Interventions 27 2.4 Phase 4 : Implementation 29 2.4.1. Communication and Participation 29 2.4.2. Networking 30 Chapter 3 The Integrated Case Study (ICS): Students’ Outputs Abstract 33 3.1 Phase 1: Urban Profiling 33 3.1.1. Basic Urban Services 34 3.1.2. Local Economic Development 36 3.1.3. Land and Shelter 37 3.1.4. Governance 40 3.1.5. Environment 42 3.1.6. Vulnerability 44 3.2 Phase 2: Gaps and Needs Assessment 46 3.2.1. Identification of Issues 46 3.2.2. Stakeholder Identification 47 3.2.3. Prioritization of Issues 48 3.3 Phase 3: Fast Track Interventions 49 3.3.1. Design Briefs Development 49 3.3.2. Design Strategies Formulation 56 3.4 Phase 4: Implementation 58 3.5 IUSD Exhibition Day 77

i


aa


List of Figures & Tables Figure 01: Illustrations for an Integrated Approach in Urbanism xvi Figure 02: Complexity in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 3 Figure 03: Key Contacts in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 3 Figure 04: Types of Settlements and degree of complexity 3 Figure 06: Boundaries of Ezzbet Al-Nasr Case Study 4 Figure 05: Location of Ezzbet Al-Nasr in Cairo 4 Figure 07: Seat of Outsider 5 Figure 08: Seat of Developer 5 Figure 09: Seat of Consultant 5 Figure 10: Introductory Lectures 6 Figure 11: Guest Lectures 6 Figure 12: Academic Lectures 6 Figure 13: The Teaching Process of the ICS Modules 2012/2013 7 Figure 14: Diagram of a Transect Walk 8 Figure 15: Pieter Verhagen 1907-1909 8 Figure 16: SWOT Analysis Matrix 9 Figure 17: Urban Development Matrix 9 Figure 18: Knowledge Café Rotation Diagram 10 Figure 19: Issues VS. Stakeholders Matrix 10 Figure 20: Project Design Steps 12 Figure 23: Sketches from a Log Book 16 Figure 21: Intersect Walks in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 16 Figure 22: Intersect Walks in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 16 Figure 25: Household Interviews - BUS Theme 17 Figure 24: Thematic Analysis 17 Figure 26: SWOT Analysis 18 Figure 27: Matrix of Major Issues 19 Figure 28: Urban Development Matrix Pin-Up 19 Figure 29: Urban Matrix Discussion 19 Figure 30: Urban Matrix with the Main Cross-Cutting Issues 19 Figure 31: Knowledge Café Rotation Tables 20 Figure 32: Knowledge Café Lists of Issues 20 Figure 33: Thematic Stakeholder Mapping 21 Figure 34: Stakeholders Discussion Workshop 21 Figure 35: Stakeholder Mapping into Beneficiaries and Actors 22 Figure 36: Issues Vs Issues Matrix 24 Figure 37: Issues Vs Stakeholder Matrix 25 Figure 38: Presentation of the Design Briefs 26 iii


Figure 39: Fast Track Measures 27 Figure 41: Final Voted Projects 28 Figure 40: Voting Process 28 Figure 42: Focus Groups Discussions 30 Figure 44: Meetings with the Youth 30 Figure 43: Public Meetings with the Community 30 Figure 45: Craftsmen in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 31 Figure 46: Mazarita Residents 31 Figure 47: Roads surrounding Ezzbet Al-Nasr 34 Figure 48: Walking distance for school complex 34 Figure 49: Health Facilities in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 34 Figure 50: Recreation in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 35 Figure 51: Shops & Workshops in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 35 Figure 53: Distribution of Economic Activities 36 Figure 52: Economic Activities in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 36 Figure 54: Cycle of Court Decisions Planned and Unplanned Areas 37 Figure 55: Inhabitants Role of Payment 37 Figure 56: Administrative Role in Providing Detailed Legal Plans 38 Figure 57: Present System of the Formal Governance Network in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 40 Figure 58: Stakeholder Mapping of Informal Networks - Governance 41 Figure 59: Geological Map for Greater Cairo 42 Figure 60: Vegetation Map for Ezzbet Al-Nasr 42 Figure 61: Intuitive & Perceptive Noise Map 42 Figure 62: Open Spaces in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 43 Figure 63: Urban Development Actors Influencing Vulnerability in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 44 Figure 64: Exposed Areas along the Ring Road 44 Figure 65: Stakeholder Identification in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 47 Figure 66: Community Market Proposal 49 Figure 68: Drawings and Paintings on Houses 49 Figure 67: Community Market Collage Proposal 49 Figure 70: Mission Flow Chart 50 Figure 69: Garbage Dumps along Main Roads 50 Figure 71: Process of Gabion Manufacturing 51 Figure 72: Roofing and Envelope Incremental Intervention 51 Figure 73: Morphology and Evolution of Mazarita Area in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 52 Figure 74: Accessibility around the School 53 Figure 75: Internal Zoning of the School 53 Figure 77: Consultancy Unit Vision 54 Figure 76: Consultancy Unit Organisational Chart Proposal 54 Figure 80: Sewage Network in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 55 iv


Figure 79: Wetland Construction Proposal 55 Figure 78: Potential Impact 55 Figure 81: Mazarita from Ezzbet Al-Nasr 58 Figure 82: A Housing Unit in Mazarita 58 Figure 83: Proposed Paradigm for Security of Tenure in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 59 Figure 84: Process of Achieving Milestones 60 Figure 85: Structure of the Tool Book 62 Figure 86: Benefits of Trash becomes Cash 64 Figure 87: Biodegradable Process from Organic Waste into the Biogas 65 Figure 88: Biogas Unit Concept 65 Figure 89: Network Coordination between Students & Local Community 66 Figure 90: Network Coordination between Students & Local Community 66 Figure 91: Transferring the Biogas Units 67 Figure 92: Installation of the Biogas Units 67 Figure 93: Biodegradable Process 67 Figure 94: Local Community Participation 67 Figure 96: Products Showcasing 69 Figure 95: Workshop of One of the Craftsmen 69 Figure 97: Current Situation without Financial Backup 70 Figure 99: Proposed Option for the Business Plan Organisational Set-Up 71 Figure 98: Al-Ezzbah Asly Campaign Poster 71 Figure 102: Al-Ezzbah Asly Crafts Mapping in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 72 Figure 100: Al-Ezzbah Asly Craftsmen Portfolio 72 Figure 101: Al-Ezzbah Asly Community Market in the District December Bash 72 Figure 103: Networking Tools 73 Figure 105: Streetscape Design-School students 74 Figure 104: Streetscape Design Project Process 74 Figure 106: Streetscape Design Workshops 75 Figure 107: Streetscape Design Workshops Diagram 75 Figure 109: Exhibition Day 77

Table 01:Phases of the Integrated Case Study Module 2 Table 02: Open Spaces Typologies in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 39 Table 03: Building Typologies in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 39 Table 04: Relevant Actors and Bodies on the different Administration Tiers in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 40 Table 05:Relations between Vulnerability, State, Market and Civil Society in Ezzbet Al-Nasr 45 Table 06: Issues Concluded from Preliminary Prioritization 46 Table 07: Matrix of Practices and Approaches in the Final Four Projects 57 Table 08:Streetscape Design Workshops Schedule 76 v


aa


List of Abbreviations Ain Shams University ASU Basic Urban Services BUS Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany

BMZ

Federal Ministry of Education and Research Germany

BMBF

Community Based Organization CBO German Academic Exchange Service DAAD Egyptian Pounds (Currency) EGP General Organization for Physical Planning GOPP Geographic Information System GIS Gesellschaft f端r Internationale Zusammenarbeit GIZ Greater Cairo Region GCR Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation - Bank

HSBC

Egyptian Housing and Building Research Centre

HBRC

Informal Settlement Development Fund

ISDF

Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design

IUSD

Integrated Case Study ICS Land and Shelter L&S Local Economic Development LED Ministry of Higher Education, Egypt MoHE Non-Governmental Organization NGO Participatory Development Programme PDP Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

SWOT

Urban Planning Master (TU-Berlin) UMP Urban Upgrading Unit UUU

vii


aa


Introduction

There is an international recognition for the importance of an integrated approach and sustainability in urbanism. In this framework, the IUSD MSc. programme emanated from the need for providing an academic programme to develop successful research and practice in the field of urban planning. The Integrated Case Study (ICS) Module is designed to expose the students to real situations by working directly on a study area. Accordingly this document represents a tool to communicate what has been done through this module for the academic year of 2012/2013 and the final product which can be monitored in the urban interventions implemented in the study area, which is the informal settlement of Ezzbet Al Nasr in Cairo. One of the most interesting aspects of the (ICS) Module is the space of democracy strengthened by the number of the multinational students enrolled in the program, which affected the ability of the students to open up for different perspectives, learn how to communicate with the “Other” even if they have disagreements. This brings another important aspect that has been well considered through the teaching of this course which is the importance of strengthening the students-teacher relationship on both pedagogical and moral levels, in an attempt to enhance the students’ sense of responsibility as a future practitioner capable of calculating the consequences of their original plans; as it is important that the educators should protect the students’ own creativity means and style through open structured educational systems that allow the students’ ideas to evolve. For the year 2012.2013, 21 students were enrolled in the programme. This document is divided into three parts; Part 1 is concerned mainly with brief illustration of some important methodologies and tools which are required in general when working on the development of a study area. Then part 2 describes the process itself which the MSc. IUSD 1st intake students went through. Finally the document ends up with part 3 which elaborates the outputs of the ICS Module, including site studies, maps, diagrams and briefs of the final four projects, which were implemented on ground.

ix


aa


An Overview 1.1 Integrated Approach & Sustainability 1.2 An Integrated Planning Approach 1.3 Integrated Sustainable Development 1.4 New Urban Planning

Integrated Approach & Sustainable Development: Towards a Consensus Norm The future of urban planning has been recently a matter of a strong debate. In many cities around the world, the classic theories of urban planning have failed to respond effectively to the continuous challenges, which are facing today’s communities. This is usually cited as a reflection of the urban planners’ incapability to identify the complex relationships between the causes and effects, which resulted in providing lists of mono-oriented recommendations and inefficient design proposals just to get the job done instantly without foreseeing the consequences (UN-HABITAT, 2010). Subsequently, this has led to the rise of critical concerns and questions that today politicians and rulers couldn’t answer, such as: »» Why has the term Urbanisation been recently perceived in people’s minds as synonymous with slum formation? »» What can be done to accommodate the expected global environmental crisis under the incidence of climate change? »» What are the development models that have been promoted across the world in this framework? »» How far are the global financial systems able to drive serious urban developments? Are investments taking into consideration the public interest? (UN-HABITAT, 2010) It is worth to mention that even with all of these concerns, new dimensions and paradigms are born every day through modern science and technology channels, as a result of xi


these changes, the urban planning discipline has come to a cross-roads, where a decision should be made either to continue in the same classic path, which proved its inefficiency to meet human needs and their new aspirations, or to recognise today’s challenges and adopt major shifts in the ways of thinking and practicing. Therefore to decide on which path to take, and as a consequence of the continuous criticism raised against the planners, they came into a discussion of what is expected of them to deliver, and how they could manage the efficiency and sustainability of their designs. This has encouraged many urban planners (teachers, scholars, practitioners) to reflect on the social, economic and environmental impacts of their researches and urban interventions. In this path renewed attention to urban planning has been acknowledged and urban planning started to shift dramatically from its initial ambition to control the city, into reassessing itself in the new global context of urbanisation instead. In this respect, urban planning has grown into a very complex and integrated process, which implies large amounts of interlinked data on several levels, and this process gained its recent popularity for the mega projects being implemented in many countries around the world that are associated with enormous budgets, furthermore the rapid evolution of new technologies, has endorsed the rise of new approaches and opportunities everyday towards a better quality of life. Integrated Planning approaches have been introduced as a new style; to overcome the wasted hours which are spent on creating designs that fail when implemented. Integrated planning in urbanism has become a skill acquired through experience and should therefore be educationally acknowledged and implied in the academia as well. This section investigates briefly some of the different international approaches of integrated urban planning, and analyse its characteristics, all of which defined and illustrated below. At the early 1990s, the concept of integrated approach was introduced and developed in the urban planning framework. This approach was concerned mainly with the renewal process of the deteriorated large social housing projects, in order to renovate such projects it was necessary to propose development plans that don’t involve only the physical aspects, but considering the economic and social aspects as well. In this regards Bertaung explain more “ The idea was to xii


break away from a compartmentalized approach to territories issues and policies, in order to promote a “holistic” approach that takes into consideration the physical, economic and social dimensions of urban development.” Later, the concept expanded to incorporate not only the upgrading of existing housing projects, but all other types of urban developments. (Beratung, Ball, Haberstock, Lynar, & Skrzipczyk, 2011). From this premise it can be concluded that integrated approach is coherent to the sustainable development, as an attempt to create more viable and well-functioning urban settlements. These efforts took into consideration the sustainability dimensions, and recognised the importance of integrated planning approaches in urbanism. As a result, new methodologies and disciplines were integrated with urban planning process such as Transport, Biodiversity, Agriculture, Climate change, Water Resources Management and other fields, so as to empower the urban settlements with the necessary pillars to be able to accommodate the world’s changes and updates. Some of these newly introduced concepts are reviewed below.

An Integrated Planning Approach According to World Health Organization (WHO), integrated planning approach is a means to attain sustainable cities. As sustainability implies in its concept the idea of not inheriting socioeconomic, health or physical problems to the future generations, WHO settled that new principles and process of urban planning has to be created based on intersectoral approach compromising spatial, environmental, health, social, cultural, and economic elements in order to achieve sustainability. (WHO, 1999)

Principles of Intelligent Urbanism “Principles of Intelligent Urbanism (PIU)” is a theory of urban planning composed of a set of ten axioms intended to guide the formulation of city plans and urban designs. They are intended to reconcile and integrate diverse urban planning and management concerns. These axioms include environmental sustainability, heritage conservation, appropriate technology, infrastructure efficiency, place making, “Social Access,” transit oriented development, regional integration, human scale, and institutional integrity. The term was coined by (Benninger, 2001). xiii


Sustainable Integrated (Participative) Urban Development The definition of sustainable integrated (participative) urban development is significantly loaded and open to different interpretations. In general, there is an inter-relation between the four terms, which is considered a key stone of the shared language for consolidating a common perspective on European urban policies. The understandings of the single terms can be mentioned as follow (Colini & Tripodi, 2010): »» “Sustainability” is variably employed to indicate the fulfilment of life chances and needs in the present, without compromising the future of generations to come; the reinforcement of the environment and the regeneration of natural resources. (Colini & Tripodi, 2010) »» “Integration” is used for cross-cutting strategy requiring the interdependency of multi- sectoral policies which may lead to the creation of new planning instruments or new governance arrangements; for a mere combination of policies. (Colini & Tripodi, 2010) »» “Participation” is adopted to sustain generic democratic principle, which guides the creation of new (both public/public and public/private) partnerships; formal and informal consultation in the programming phase; Information about the funding opportunities. (Colini & Tripodi, 2010) »» “Urban development” is coupled with growth and cohesion. While the term “Development” is taken for granted, the definition of “Urban” accordingly is put to specify in terms of geographic factors and statistics. (Colini & Tripodi, 2010)

New Urban Planning Leading into the World Planners Congress in Vancouver, Canada in 2006, a position paper on urban planning was released, entitled the Vancouver Declaration. The policy document called for New Urban Planning - a new, proactive approach that focuses on sustainability and making the connections between people, economic opportunity and the environment. The new approach is based around the following xiv


ten principles, all of which have climate change planning implications, and underscore the fact that good urban planning supports and creates a foundation for climate planning (World Planning Congress, 2006). 1.

Sustainability: A practical focus on integrating social, economic and environmental considerations

2.

Integrated: An integrated approach that combines and coordinates economic planning, physical planning, and environmental planning to deliver efficiency and effectiveness by adding value through policies that support, rather than undercut, each other.

3.

Integrated with Budgets: A recognition that successful plans effectively link to private and public budgetary processes.

4.

Planning with Partners: Plan with all sectors of the community with a stake in the place, including governments, private sector organisations, voluntary agencies and civil society.

5.

Subsidiarity: recognizes the need for decentralization, with local governments playing a leading role, and empowerment of community-based organisations.

6.

Market Responsive: New Urban Planning understands market demand, particularly in land and property markets, and is aware of the dynamics and potential of the informal sectors.

7.

Access to Land: Equitable systems of land ownership and land management need to underpin successful urban planning.

8.

Appropriate Tools: feasible, equitable or affordable policy in conditions of rapid urbanization.

9.

Pro-poor and Inclusive: Successful planning is inclusive, pro-poor, recognizes diversity and promotes equality.

10.

Cultural Variation: New Urban Planning allows for a variety of outcomes according to cultural priorities and preferences.

xv


An Integrated Approach and Sustainable Development : An Integrated Case Study Module (ICS) The four international definitions reviewed below represent a sample of the different perspectives of integrated urban planning and sustainable design in the contemporary literature (Figure 01). A comparison among these definitions clearly shows how integration became either a general incubator for the whole urban planning process or an essential ingredient to reach a successful design in terms of both short term operation and long term sustainability.

Integrated Planning Approach

New Urban Planning Environmental Sustainability

Sustainability

Heritage Conservation

Integration

Spatial

Appropriate Technology

Integration with Budgets

Environmental

Infrastructure Efficiency

Sustainability

Planning with Partners

Health

Place Making

Integration

Subsidiarity

Social

Social Access

Participation

Market Responsive

Cultural

Transit Oriented Development

Urban Development

Access to Land

Economic

Regional Integration

Appropriate Tools

Human Scale

Pro-poor and Inclusive

Institutional Integrity

Cultural Variation

Figure 01: Illustrations for an Integrated Approach in Urbanism

xvi


aa


aa


Chapter 1 The Integrated Case Study (ICS) The Teaching Process 1.1 Learning Objectives of the ICS 1.2 Structure of the ICS Module 1.3 Learning Outcomes 1.4 ICS - Case Study Selection 1.5 ICS Teaching Methodology 1.6 ICS Teaching Tools

1.1 Learning Objectives of the Case Study Module The Integrated Case Study Module is designed to address the current conditions in the world and prepare the next generation of professionals to lead in the development of new modes of research and design practice. This course explores how these new models of working can expand the scope and capabilities of architects, urban planners and engineers to embed the role of design and research in the total process of developing and realizing a project. The Integrated Case Study(ICS) module aims at expanding students’ understanding of the roles and responsibilities of professionals involved in the process of shaping our cities, buildings and urban environment. The intended learning objectives of this module is grouped into 4 categories. 1.

Knowledge and Understanding

»» Identify different research approaches and will be able to describe what suits their case study design project best; »» Categorize the site challenges and constraints on both urban and architecture level and to develop an understanding of the integrated research concepts and; »» Deal with complex urban issues in a real concrete context and sensitize them to develop creative integrated solutions that are beyond a single discipline of a research practice. 2.

Intellectual skills:

»» Analyse the consequences of applying two different yet complementary design approaches using an integrated design model and; »» Gain the ability to criticize each approach and epis1


temologically distinguish and differentiate each research application methods. 3.

Practical skills

»» Present and communicate their ideas; »» Demonstrate their proposals though model making and simulation computer programs and; »» Contribute and influence urban and architecture design challenges in future practice. 4.

General Transferable skills

The module is designed to be an active learning experience, based mainly on field work.

The ICS methodology is developed in compliance with the IUSD programme approach.

»» Upon the successful completion of this Module, students will be able to: »» Undergo a practical experience though working on a real case study; »» Present their projects outcome as a proposed design project to be implemented in reality and;

The ICS methodology is developed for the integrated planning process.

»» Interact with local community and professionals and gain access to wide variety of expertise.

1.2 Structure of the Case Study Module To achieve the previous objectives, the module is designed to be an active learning experience, based mainly on field work in a selected study area. According to the academic regulations of the IUSD programme, this module is offered in the 3rd semester. In this semester, students are required to take 13 credit hours. 7 credit hours are assigned for the ICS module. Students meet with the staff two times a week. The Integrated Planning process is divided into four main phases. The process is divided into four phases (Table 01). The first phase begins by conducting an integrated site analysis. Based on this analysis, a gaps and needs assessment is derived. From this assessment, a preliminary list of prioritized issues is plotted. This list is then re-considered according to stakeholder analysis. By the end of the second phase, the list of prioritized issues for intervention is formulated. These issues serve as the input for the third phase, where fast track measures for intervention are proposed. Subsequently, design briefs for these proposed interventions are prepared. These proposals are used to select the final design projects to be developed. In the last phase, project plans for the final projects are developed for implementation. 2

Phase 1: Urban Profiling Site Observation Site Analysis Phase 2: Gaps & Needs Assessment Identification of Issues Identification of Stakeholders Prioritization of Issues Phase 3: Fast Track Interventions Proposal of Fast Track Interventions Design Briefs Development Design Strategies Formulation Phase 4: Implementation Project Plans Exhibition of Final Projects Table 01:Phases of the Integrated Case Study Module


1.3 Case Study Selection

Figure 02: Complexity in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source:IUSD students 2012

Figure 03: Key Contacts in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source: IUSD students 2012

The use of case study is crucial for enhancing the students’ ability in acquiring skills for conducting projects of an integrated nature. Two important rules are considered when choosing the case study. Firstly, the selected area should have enough factors dealing with different aspects of life, governance, socio-economic environment, natural environment, and built environment (Figure 02). Such complexity would stimulate the participant in the ICS module. Nonetheless, this complexity should not be associated with a dominant sector. Such dominance is expected to overweigh other issues and eventually hinder the possibility of examining different issues and developing integrated plans. Therefore, the selected area needs to be complex with heterogeneous issues (Figure 03). For the academic year 2012-2013, the ICS focused on informal areas. The logic of this interest is based on relating complexity of issues with typologies of settlements. The correlation showed that informal mix-used areas encompass a higher degree of complexity, which would enrich the student’s understanding of problems, their nature, types and origins as well as offer a variety of options for intervention (Figure 04). In addition, working on informal areas would help in achieving the objectives of the ICS module. The active partner for the ICS module was GIZ. The cooperTypes of Settlements

Existing Settlement

Lacks economic aspects and lack complexity of issues

Residential

Mixed-Use

Planned

New Settlement

Non-Residential

Unplanned

Completely lacks input of reality, all based on prospects and future

Significantly lacks social aspects

displays high degree of complexity, huge inventory of problems; and more opportunities for intervention

Figure 04: Types of Settlements and degree of complexity

3


ation initially proposed four study areas: Geziert Al-Dahab; Hekr Abbas; Ain Shams and; Ezzbet Al-Nasr. Upon examining the conditions of these areas, Ezzbet Al-Nasr emerged as the most suitable for running the module. The area has enough factors, issues, dealing with diverse aspects such as governance, socio-economic, built and natural environments. Such complexity with the heterogeneous weighs of issues pave the way for the notion of integration. The other proposed study areas were ruled out, due to factors such as the dominance of one sector or the large scale of the area. Such factors could have threatened the possibility to practice an integraed approach within time frame assigned for the Integrated Case Study academic module. Ezzbet Al-Nasr is an informal settlement in the Basateen District, in the south zone of Cairo Governorate (Figure 05), covering an area of 0.42 km² with 72.190 inhabitants (TU Berlin 2010), who have squatted the land since the 1980s and until today, they have not gained any legal land rights of leasehold or ownership. It is strongly linked with an influx of rural migrants from Fayoum, Bani Sweif, Menia, Asyout, Sohag and Qena (Interviewee: Dahi 2012). The outskirts of Ezzbet Al-Nasr are home to more developed housing stock and business hubs. Ezzbet Al-Nasr is -in many ways - physically and socially segregated from the rest of the city. The small fragment of Ezzbet Al-Nasr located south of Ring Road is not included in this study (Figure 06). Ezzbet AlNasr, seems similar to other informal areas, although it has unique characteristics and genuine interaction with its people which is reflected in the nature of the students’ projects.

Figure 06: Boundaries of Ezzbet Al-Nasr Case Study Source:GIS data General Organization for Physical Planning (GOPP)

4

Figure 05: Location of Ezzbet Al-Nasr in Cairo Source: TU Berlin 2010


1.4 Teaching Methodology 1.4.1. Learning Outcomes Due to the nature of this module, and to achieve the objectives of the ICS module, active learning models as experiential learning methodologies are considered suitable for achieving the objectives of this module. Benefits of experiential learning model in small groups include (Kotval, 2003): »» Helping students to gain a deeper understanding of issues with great opportunities for discussion and interaction; »» Developing reflective perspective; »» Encouraging peer learning and enhancing collaboration; »» Giving students the opportunity for a more personal and challenging educational experience. 1.4.2. The Teaching Process

Figure 07: Seat of Outsider Source:IUSD students 2012

Figure 08: Seat of Developer Source:IUSD students 2012

Figure 09: Seat of Consultant Source:IUSD students 2012

The teaching process of the ICS module was based on an active learning experience, based mainly on field work in a selected study area. Adopting active learning, the module is designed to give the students the opportunity to get exposed to phases during the development of the project (Figure 13). In real life, there are various roles for actors involved in integrated planning projects. Roles include outsiders, experts, developers and consultants. Hence , students sit in different seats during the module: 1.

Seat of Outsider: during the first encounter with the area and community, students observe the area with the fresh eye of outsiders (Figure 07).

2.

Seat of Expert: during the first phase of the project, students act as experts of development agencies to collect and analyse data as well as to interact with the society.

3.

Seat of Developer: during the second phase of the project, students act as developers who propose strategic interventions to develop the area (Figure 08). Developers could be members of the community (e.g. NGOs, private investors), local officials or even officials at central level (e.g. Governors).

5


4.

Seat of Consultant: during the third phase, students act as consultants to implement selected projects (Figure 09). To select projects, developers present their projects to consultants. Consultants vote to projects based on perspectives that they developed during sitting in different seats.

The staff incorporated academic input in the form of teacher directed lectures in the module (Figure 12). These lectures attempt to familiarize international students with planning landscape in Egypt, expose students to different development approaches adopted by various development agencies working in Egypt and, improve the skills of the students in project management. To provide this wide range of topics as well as to widen the exposure of the students, the staff invited external speakers from different organisations. In the preliminary phase, it was essential to familiarize the students the different upgrading approaches in the Egyptian context. Accordingly, a series of lectures were organised. The first set of lectures aimed at introducing informal areas in Egypt (Figure 10). Students were introduced to different upgrading approaches in Egypt taking the Old Cairo development project as a case study, with a focus role of the Figure 10: Introductory Lectures Source:IUSD students 2012 government and communities in bottom up and top down approaches. In others, students were exposed to different informal settlements in Cairo, covering brief accounts on Ezzbet Al-Hagana, Istabl Antar, and Ezzbet Al-Nakhil. In the second series of lectures, students received guest speakers to address the different approaches of development organisations in Egypt. In one lecture, a guest speaker from GIZ (Gesellschaft fĂźr Internationale Zusammenarbeit - the German Society for International Cooperation) gave a presentation on the ‘Participatory Development Programme Figure 11: Guest Lectures (PDP) in Urban Areas’ and the facilities provided by GIZ in Source:IUSD students 2012 informal settlements as well as its current focus on integrating the youth initiatives and coalitions in development. In another lecture, the guest speaker - an Urban Planning & Community Development Consultant - discussed the typologies of informal settlements (Figure 11) as well as different definitions used by different agencies, such as GOPP (General Organisation for Physical Planning), ISDF (Informal Settlements Development Fund) with relevance to the legal status, physical conditions and intervention schemes. Figure 12: Academic Lectures Source:IUSD students 2012

6


Figure 13: The Teaching Process of the ICS Modules 2012/2013

7


1.5 Teaching Tools This section presents the tools used in the different phases of the integrated planning process as implemented in the ICS module. These tools are selected to suit the integrated planning process and the objectives of the ICS module. The tools were developed according to tools used by various international agencies adopting similar planning approaches, as well as the professional and academic experience of the ICS staff. 1.5.1.Phase 1: Urban Profiling »» Thematic Approach for Analysis During the preliminary site analysis of Ezzbet Al-Nasr, students were divided into six development sectors’ groups. Each group is responsible for in-depth analysis of a specific sector in the matrix (GOPP and UN-HABITAT, 2006). In this module, the UN-Habitat Urban Development Sector Matrix is used as tool that offers a good starting point to draw a fast rapid profile of the area. »» Transect Walks “A transect walk is a tool for describing and showing the location and distribution of resources, features, landscape, main land uses along a given transect.” World Bank. They are systematic walk on a designated path (transect) in an area to gather information (Figure 14). The transect line routes are identified prior to the site visit to pass through the different zones of the area. It is recommended to design Figure 14: Diagram of a Transect Walk the routes with a key informant. Source: http://www.communityplanning.net/ »» Log Book

methods/reconnaissance_trip.php

The log book is notebook given to each student to record their field observations (Figure 15). The observations are taken in form of records usually referred to field notes,which are “detailed, non-judgmental, concrete descriptions of what has been observed” (Marshall and Rossman, 2006: 98). »» Data Collection In this step, students bring insights on the matrix’s sectors and crosscutting issues in separate lines and in an equivalent weight for each. Each group build their set of research tools for data collection and analysis. Tools for data collection include as field observations, stakeholder mapping, unstructured and semi-structured interviews, as well as 8

Figure 15: Pieter Verhagen 1907-1909 Source: http://en.nai.nl/collection/view_ the_collection/item/_rp_kolom2-1_elementId/1_265288


surveys, maps, statistics and literature review. Tools for analysis include conducting SWOT analysis, GIS analyses, and statistical analyses. »» Stakeholder Mapping Stakeholder identification is an important step for the development of suggested interventions. Building up knowledge for the related stakeholders and the beneficiaries provides a comprehensive look into all relative development actors who could benefit, influence, and have a specific interest in the study area. In this map, related stakeholders are clustered according to their relevance and potential influence on development issues (UN-HABITAT, 2001). »» SWOT Analysis The SWOT matrix is a structured methodology that identifies the strengths and weaknesses of a project internally, and the external opportunities and threats of a given project (Figure 16). It is very helpful as it provides the needed informed knowledge for identifying the projects’ objectives later on and the steps to achieve them. »» Collective Report Writing

S W

Strengths

Weaknesses

This tools was applied to enable students to have experience in organising and producing a collective report within a big team and many variables, entries and different forms of data collection. With this tools, all students within their groups produce a unified gaps and needs assessment for their case study. 1.5.2.Phase 2: Gaps and Needs Assessment

T O

Threats

Opportunities

Figure 16: SWOT Analysis Matrix

Dev. Sector 4 Dev. Sector 1 Dev. Sector 2 Dev. Sector 3

Cro

Dev. Sector 5

ss-

Cu

ttin

Dev. Sector 6

g Is

sue

Figure 17: Urban Development Matrix

s

»» Urban Development Matrix This matrix was used to create a collective set of major issues in the area. It is an analytical tool for analysis representing the six development sectors of the thematic analysis, where three of the sectors are main and the others are cross-cutting issues (Figure 17). The results of the SWOT analysis are the inputs of the matrix. Accordingly, students highlight the main issues derived from their SWOT analysis that are cross-cutting between all development themes to produce a final coherent list of prioritized issues. »» Knowledge Café In general, a ‘Knowledge Café’ (or World Café) is a discussion tool, used to hold an interactive group conservation on 9


a topic of mutual interest. “A Knowledge Cafe is a means of bringing a group of people together to have an open, creative conversation on a topic of mutual interest to surface their collective knowledge, to share ideas and insights and to gain a deeper understanding of the subject and the issues involved (Figure 18). This ultimately, leads to action in the form of better decision making and innovation and thus tangible business outcomes.” (Gurteen Knowledge Community website). For the Integrated Planning approach, this tool is applied in order to more closely discuss the overlapFigure 18: Knowledge Café Rotation Diagram ping topics between the 6 development sectors. »» Issues VS. Issues Matrix

In this matrix, issues are aggregated, and each is given a Defining beneficiary of relative weight. In order to do this, participants attempt to solving issues identify how many other issues are tackled by solving one Issues specific issue. By answering this question, it is possible to transfer the gathered information into nominal data in orStakeholders der to be able to provide a prioritization. The more differDefining beneficiary of Defining beneficiary of Does the issue affec solving issues Defining beneficiary of solving issues ent issues are solved by tackling one issue, the higher this stakeholder issues Issues issue moves up Defining the prioritybeneficiary list.solving Every factor is thus classiof Yes: 1is Independen No:0 Issues Issues variable Issues is Independe solving issues fied as a dependent factor (columns) and an independent Issues variable Issues is Independent factor (rows). At the intersection of these independent and Stakeholders Stakeholders Issues variable dependent factors (rows and columns) the interrelation of Defining actors in solving Does issuethe issue affect Stakeholders Does the issue affects the these factors was discussed and defined as existing (Yes: 1) Defining beneficiary of stakeholder stakeholder Does the issue affects the Stakeholders Defining beneficiary of solving issues (No: 0). or non-existing Yes: 1 No:0 Yes: 1 No:0 stakeholder affects the solving issues Does the issue Issues Issues Yes: 1is Independent No:0 stakeholder Issues is Independen »» Issues VS. Stakeholder Issues Matrix variable Yes: 1 No:0 Issues variable Stakeholders Does the stakeholde In this matrix, beneficiaries and actors involved in each isDefining actors in solving issue Defining actors in solving issue Stakeholders input or role in solvi Stakeholders sue are identified and linked. First, beneficiaries Defining actorsand in actors solving issue completing the issue Does the issue affects the are separated into two different matrices (Figure Defining actors in solving issue19). In Does the issue affects the Yes: 1 No:0 stakeholder Issues Issuesac- stakeholder the beneficiaries matrix, binary values are determined Yes: 1 No:0 Issues Stakeholder is Indep cording to the effect of the issue on the stakeholder (Yes:1 Yes: 1 No:0 Stakeholders variable Stakeholder is Inde Stakeholders Issues are determined Does the stakeholder have an Does the stakeholde - No:0). In the actors matrix, binary values variable Stakeholders Stakeholder is Independent input or role in solvin role in solving or Doesor the stakeholder have an accordingactors to the input or roleissue of the stakeholder in solving input Defining in Stakeholders solving variable completing the issue completing theinissue input or role solving or Defining actorsDoes in solving issue the stakeholder have an the issue (Yes:1 - No:0). Yes: 1 No:0 Yes: 1 No:0 the issue completing input or role in solving or Yes: 1 No:0 completing the issue Issues Issues Yes: 1 No:0 Stakeholder is Independent Stakeholder is Indep variable Stakeholders Does the stakeholder have an variable Stakeholders Does the stakeholder have an input or role in solving or input or role in solving or completing the issue completing the issue Yes: 1 No:0 Yes: 1 No:0 Figure 19: Issues VS. Stakeholders Matrix Source:IUSD students 2012

10


1.5.3.Phase 3: Fast Track Interventions  Design Brief Development It is a document which has a full description of the proposed project (Figure 20). This includes its objectives, scope, target group, budget, financial resources, required team for consultations and implementation, time plan and expected outcomes. The requirements of the Design Brief Development are as follows: 1.

Project identification: The design of the project should identify the project being implemented as well as a description of how to implement the project. The objectives that the project should eventually reach is already set beforehand. For the design of the project, stakeholders and target groups need to be identified in order to implement a project that achieves this objective.

2.

Logical framework: The formulation of the logical framework describes the planned activities in detail, what expected outputs these activities lead to and a reasoning why these outputs lead to the demanded immediate objective of the intervention.

3.

Implementation Plan: The implementation plan is based on the logical framework and include the milestones of each phase, the results expected from them and the budget needed.

4.

Monitoring and Evaluation: The project needs to specify how the outputs and objectives are measured if they are actually reached, how much time is needed for this to take place and how much budget.

The following crosscutting issues should be taken into consideration at every step of the design implementation. 1.

Sustainability:

The project has to have a positive influence even after the implementation is over. Community needs to keep on reaping a social, financial, institutional or environmental return when the projects is designed and implemented. 2.

Participation:

It is essential to have people from the community be greatly involved into the planning and implementation and monitoring phase of the project. 11


3.

Gender/age-sensitivity:

The project has to take the existing gender-bias of the community into consideration. and should encourage marginalized gender and age groups. A right balance needs to be found out between addressing gender and age inequalities adequately without enforcing normative values on the community. 4.

Coordination:

Other development projects, targeting the same area or the same topic, need to be taken into consideration while designing and implementing the project., so that it does not compete in any way with other projects. Instead similar projects should be coordinated, strength should be combined. 5.

Equity:

In case the project is privileging a specific group of the community, it is very important to argue why exactly this group is eligible for this specific privilege in contrast to any other group and how investing in this specific group will trigger change for the rest of the community.

Figure 20: Project Design Steps Source:Ref. Nieves Thomet, & Alice Vozza, 2010 - International Labour Orgnisation, Uganda

12


1.5.4.Phase 4: Implementation »» Participatory Workshops Since the development of stakeholders in interventions is an important pillar for the success of the project, students carried out intensive participatory workshops in the form of pre-scheduled and organised meetings in which a group of people from the community come together to discuss their opinions, share knowledge, experiences and different ideas to solve a certain issue. This groups is selected according to the intervention proposed. Supporters of this approach usually speak of community empowerment which when “once empowered could initiate a political and social transformation which could eventually integrate them in the system ensuring for them full citizenship rights and enabling them to take part in decision-making and government resources” (Hickey and Mohan 2005 in Piffero 2009, Pg.38). »» Focus Groups A focus group is a form of qualitative research in the “form of group interview that capitalises on communication between research participants in order to generate data”(Kitzinger 1995, Pg.299). They are an efficient tool due to time limitations and and limited costs as they enable the students to get results and knowledge rapidly when compared to a individual survey by talking to several people at once.

13


aa


Chapter 2 The Integrated Case Study (ICS) The Integrated Planning Process 2.1 Phase 1: Urban Profiling 2.2 Phase 2: Gaps and Needs Assessment 2.3 Phase 3: Fast Track Interventions 2.4 Phase 4: Implementation

4

Implementation

1. Projects Plans • WorkPlans • Communication & Participation • Networking 2. Exhibition of Final Projects • Outreaching • Handing-Over

1. Fast Track Measure • Interventions & Projects Proposals 2. Design Briefs Development • Selection of Final 4 Projects 3. Design Strategies Formulation

3

Fast Track Interventions

Urban Profiling

1

1. Site Observation • Intersect Walks • Log Book 2. Site Analysis • Thematic Approach for Analysis • Data Collection • SWOT Analysis

1. Identification of Issues • Urban Matrix • Knowledge Cafe 2. Stakeholders Identification • Stakeholders Mapping 3. Prioritization of Issues • Issues VS Issues • Issues VS Stakeholders

Gaps & Needs Assessment

2

15


2.1 Phase 1: Urban Profiling This phase initiates the process of preparing interventions following an integrated planning approach. The purpose of this phase is to identify prioritized issues for fast track interventions. 2.1.1.Site Observation The purpose of this stage is to provide a preliminary analysis of the situation of the area in terms of its infrastructure, economics and built environment while considering aspects of political settings and informal networks, gender and ne- Figure 21: Intersect Walks in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source: IUSD students 2012 glected groups, following an integrated planning approach. »» Transect Walks The students and staff take a transect walk to acquire general observations on the nature of the area and local community and build some preliminary reflections. It is important to have an inside informant to guide the participants in their walk in the area. During this walk, participants begin to take preliminary observations on the area such as present land uses, local economic activities; social relationships and Figure 22: Intersect Walks in Ezzbet Al-Nasr environmental issues (Figure 21, Figure 22). Source: IUSD students 2012

»» Log Book In the case of ICS module, the log book is divided into three parts. In the first part, the students write their observations on parameters related to their sector. In the second part, they add major observations on the other 5 sectors. In the third part, they report on any other general observations. The logic of dividing the log book is to let students observe the area on three tiers: sectoral; cross-sectoral; and beyond sectoral. These tiers allow the students to think of their sector, and its relation with other sectors as well as to think beyond the issues defined for each sector. Thus, students are able to expand their investigation skills not limited to the pre-set parameters (Figure 23).

Figure 23: Sketches from a Log Book Source: IUSD students 2012

16


2.1.2.Site Analysis »» Thematic Approach for Analysis The matrix used in the ICS comprises 6 themes; Land and Shelter (L&S), Basic Urban Services (BUS) and Local Economic Development (LED) as substantive issues. Crosscutting are Governance, Environment, and Vulnerability (Figure 24) . The students are divided - according to their interests - into six groups as per each development sector/ cross-cutting issue.

Basic Urban Services

Local Economic Development

Land & Shelter

Governance Environment Vulnerability

Figure 24: Thematic Analysis Source: IUSD students 2012

»» Data Collection

Figure 25: Household Interviews - BUS Theme Source: IUSD students 2012

Data were collected on and off-site. On site interviews were conducted with randomly selected inhabitants from the local community (Figure 25). They were held at different times of the day and on different days of the week to assure diversity among the interviewees. The conducted interviews of the community of Ezzbet Al-Nasr generally provided a preliminary overview of the study area and not a fully representative sample. Throughout these site interviews, valuable data were collected and problematic issues concerning the area were highlighted. Contradictory information acquired from the interviews was cross-checked through observations and literature review. Site observations were considered a key indicator for the area’s conditions. This had entailed a thorough walk across most of the streets and alleys in the area. During these walks, site problems were digitally documented through photos. Service provision establishments e.g. schools, shops, clinics were pinpointed on the area maps. In addition, data of the main services were extracted from the GIS database provided by the General Organization for Physical Planning (GOPP). 17


Each group built their set of data collection tools based on on the nature of required data as well as the examined issues. For example, conducting interviews was an essential tool for the ‘Governance’ theme. The group formulated interviews to investigate the existing forms of informal governance networks and power relations. On the other hand, ‘LED’ theme used interviews and field observations as part of their survey on the mechanisms and the organization of the existing market. Groups also noted that combining different tools is crucial. ‘BUS’ and ‘L&S’ groups reported that they were faced with exaggerative and often contradictory statements in the interviews. Hence, they combined results of interviews, field observations, maps, statistics to cross verify data. »» SWOT Analysis In order to systematically analyze the above mentioned data and to put them in a context that is valuable for further proceeding within any upcoming strategic elaboration, the SWOT analysis was chosen to summarize the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of each single theme (Figure 26). The analysis at hand along with the SWOT aims at eventually leading to the formulation of probable objectives and recommendations in the coming phase of identifying stakeholders and developing fast track measures of intervention.

Figure 26: SWOT Analysis Source: IUSD students 2012

18


2.2 Phase 2: Gaps and Needs Assessment 2.2.1.Identification of Issues The purpose of this phase is to produce a list of preliminary prioritization of relevant topics for the proposal of fast-track measures for intervention. These measures should encompass many of the problems and aspects raised from the preliminary site analysis. In this stage, students with the support of the ICS staff hold workshops and discussion tables. »» Urban Development Matrix

Figure 27: Matrix of Major Issues Source: IUSD students 2012

Figure 28: Urban Development Matrix Pin-Up Source: IUSD students 2012

Figure 29: Urban Matrix Discussion Source: IUSD students 2012

As a first step groups use the findings of the previous SWOT analysis to create a comprehensive matrix of major issues and aspects that they identified in the urban profiling phase (Figure 27). Each group introduced the main issues in their sector. They pinned up the issues of their sector based on the preliminary analysis (Figure 28). Students, then, discussed the cross-cutting issues and summed them up (Figure 29). Accordingly, main issues in the area were pinpointed (Figure 30). This step is essential to highlight the main issues that can serve as a base for the Knowledge Café. Cross-Cutting

BUS

LED

L&S

Governance

Economy Education Health

Land Employment Economy Social Capital

Land Physical Condition Economy

Vulnerability

Employment Education Health Physical Condition, Economy Land

Economy Social Capital Employment

Physical Condition Land Economy

Environment

Physical Condition Garbage Health Land

Physical Condition Health Social Capital

Health Land Physical Condition

Figure 30: Urban Matrix with the Main Cross-Cutting Issues Source: IUSD students 2012

19


»» Knowledge Café The procedure of the ‘Knowledge Café’ which is explained in chapter 1 was used by the students. Three tables were assigned to the different groups: Basic Urban Services (BUS), Local Economic Development (LED), and Land and Shelter (L&S) (Figure 31). Each group was asked to provide a list of the most important issues regarding their theme of study. The groups working on the crosscutting issues, Governance, Environment, and Vulnerability, where asked to distribute among the three tables and rotate respectively. The possibility was given to add new important issues. As an outcome, each of the main groups (BUS, LED, and L&S) presented a list of prioritized subjects for consideration (Figure 32).

Figure 31: Knowledge Café Rotation Tables Source: IUSD students 2012

20

Figure 32: Knowledge Café Lists of Issues Source:IUSD Students


2.2.2.Stakeholder Identification The stakeholder identification process is based on the previous knowledge the working group gained through interviews, and investigations. After the identification process the institutional and organisational structure of the involved stakeholders are considered. Based on the preliminary siteanalysis of the six groups (BUS, LED, L&S, Government, Vulnerability, and Environment) each group defined their stakeholders related to their observations (Figure 33). Later on, in a discussion workshop (Figure 34, all stakeholders are combined in one list, clustered and eventually mapped according to interest, interconnections and influence (Figure 31). The stakeholders were identified and combined under the following sub-groups (Figure 35): »» Actively involved beneficiaries/affected people »» Passive beneficiaries »» Beneficiaries with specific interest »» Beneficiaries with specific influence »» Related influential stakeholders »» Unrelated influential stakeholders »» Stakeholders with special interests »» Stakeholders with not directly related interests.

Figure 33: Thematic Stakeholder Mapping Source:IUSD Students

Figure 34: Stakeholders Discussion Workshop Source:IUSD students 2012

21


Figure 35: Stakeholder Mapping into Beneficiaries and Actors Source:IUSD students 2012

22


2.2.3.Prioritization of Issues The purpose of this stage is to produce the final the of prioritized issues for fast track measures of intervention. However, it is a complex process to aggregate and prioritize the identified issues due to a multitude of objectives, decision criteria and alternatives. Therefore, all gathered information are transferred into nominal data in this stage. The aim of this process is to prioritize the issues according to the needs of the citizens. In this stage, students are first divided into three groups: Land and Shelter (L&S), Local Economic Development(LED) and Basic Urban Services (BUS). The groups are compiled in the way that at least one specialist from each development sector is represented in each group to achieve an in-depth discussion. Topics identified from the preliminary prioritization are subjected to a second round of the prioritization exercise through multi-criteria matrices. The overlapping issues are combined and summed up into final priorities to develop the fast-track measures for interventions. In the final step, the common issues are combined and summed up to formulate the final prioritized issues. These issues come as a result of the main independent factors from the ‘Issues VS. Issues’ matrix and the prioritized issues according to the number of beneficiaries as deduced from the ‘Stakeholder VS. Issue’ matrix as follows.

23


»» Issues VS. Issues Matrix By applying the ‘Issues VS. Issues’ matrix (Figure 36), the working groups examine each issue against other issues to identify the number of issues that could be tackled by solving the examined issue. The working groups end up with high ranked independent issues that can support solving as many issues as possible. The added number ascribed to the independent factors shows how much of the other issues could be solved by solving this specific issue. Vice versa, the number ascribed to the dependent factors shows that it will be easy to solve this problem only if a represented number of other issues are solved. Consequently, by applying this technique the working group ended up with five highranked independent issues that can support solving ten or more out of the total twenty-four issues.

Figure 36: Issues Vs Issues Matrix Source:IUSD students 2012

24


»» Issues VS. Stakeholders Matrix The working groups investigate the relation between the stakeholders and issues. By applying ‘Beneficiaries VS. Issues’ matrix (Figure 37), working group are able to identify the most influenced or beneficial groups by the different issues. On the contrary,by filling in the ‘Actors VS. Issues’ matrix the stakeholders who play major roles in solving the issues are identified. In this step, students prioritize issues according to: A- The number of beneficiaries: The number of beneficiaries from each issue is considered an important selection criterion for prioritization. The more beneficiaries an issue is affecting the more important this issue is. Thus, according to the calculation of the number of beneficiaries, the issues are ranked. B- The number of actors: This criterion depends on the number of stakeholders who have a role or give input in each issue. It is based on the idea that the higher the number of actors being involved in a single issue is, the more complicated the decision making process will become. The prioritisation of issues according to the number of actors is an adequate tool for evaluating the feasibility of implementing projects in the following phases of the research. Yet, the number of actors alone is not sufficient for judging the feasibility, since the power structures and the interests of actors are very important factors that have not been considered. It was decided not to use this criterion in the final prioritisation during this phase to facilitate the process. Accordingly, the students were directed to ascribe only the output of the ‘Beneficiaries vs. Issues’ matrix. In the calculations of the number of beneficiaries as well, all the stakeholders were given the same weight during calculation. It would have been more accurate to give different weights according to the degree of their relevance to the issue (direct vs. Indirect impact) and this would contribute to the main objectives of improving the living conditions in the area.

Figure 37: Issues Vs Stakeholder Matrix Source:IUSD students 2012

25


2.3 Phase 3: Fast Track Interventions The purpose of this stage is to design proposals for fast track measures for intervention in the study area. These interventions together form the cornerstone for an effective strategic proposal. Effectively, proposed interventions should provide new ideas that have a positive long term effect, and promote the concept of effective self-help strategies »» Interventions and Projects’ Proposals From the final prioritized issues defined in phase 2, each student chooses an issue to work on, based on their individual interests. Consequently, for each issue a small working is formed. Each group works on developing fast track measures for a medium-sized intervention which respond to their respective issue (Figure 39). In this stage, the working groups present their ideas on the projects they propose, their approaches to implementation, as well as the required resources, expected limitations and how to proceed. »» Design Brief Development In this stage, each group work on developing a design brief of their intervention. After the preparation of the design brief, each group presents their proposal to the whole class (Figure 38). Based on these briefs, participants vote to select the final design projects, to be fully developed in the following phase of implementation.

Figure 38: Presentation of the Design Briefs Source:IUSD students 2012

26


Figure 39: Fast Track Measures Source:IUSD students 2012

27


After presenting all projects, students act as consultants. They vote for the projects which are more convenient (even if it is not their original project) and will have impact within the limited time they have (Figure 40). Four out of seven projects finally made it to the implementation phase (Figure 41). The purpose of this stage is to develop the finally selected projects to implement them in Phase 4 in the study area. As an academic module, the aim of this phase is to improve the practical and general transferable skills of the students. Hence, this phase is designed to give the students the opportunity to present their proposed design projects to be implemented in reality. Each group works on developing design strategies for their project through developing their vision, mission and actions. In addition, groups should work on finalizing their project budgets and networking with stakeholders involved in implementation. At the end of this stage, groups hold a presentation on their design strategies for the IUSD staff as well as the ICS module partners. The four projects that were voted upon are: 1.

Streetscape- Children as Design Partners

2.

‘Al-Ezzbah Asly’ Community Market

3.

Mazarita Toolbook: For A Sustainable & Incremental Process of Tenure Security

4.

Trash Becomes Cash: An Applied Intervention for the Garbage Problem Solving

Figure 41: Final Voted Projects Source: IUSD students 2012

28

Figure 40: Voting Process Source: IUSD students 2012


2.4 Phase 4 : Implementation This is the final stage in the Integrated Case Study Module. During this stage, groups work closely with their partners in the study area to implement their projects. Finally, students hold an exhibition in Ezzbet Al-Nasr to display the outcomes of their projects and hand them over to the local community. The final projects selected dealt and combined governance, ecological, economical and social aspects in the area. It is interesting to note how some groups merged together. For example the ‘Mazarita Tool Book’ group is a mix of 2 groups. The group suggested non-conventional methods for secure tenure ship. Other members were from the group interested in creating a local consultancy unit, on how to build, how to maintain houses, in order to keep the built environment intact giving its current situation in a non-legal format. This group merged into the ‘Mazarita’ consultancy giving technical, legal, societal, and political support and advice on how to gain higher level of security of tenure. The nature of implementation differs from one project to another. Some projects can come up with tangible outcomes to be displayed and directly impact the study area; other projects may not to be able to attain such outcomes. This could be attributed to the nature of projects themselves. For instance, a project such as ‘Community Market’ by nature has the the work of the craftsmen to display. Also, a project such as ‘Children as Design Partners’ has the opportunity to hold workshops and directly influence the children of the study area. On the other hand, a project like ‘Mazarita Tool Book’ could not have direct tangible impacts on the area, due to the nature of the project and involved stakeholders. Nevertheless, the production of the tool book is considered the outcome of the project.

29


2.4.1.Communication and Participation Since the project is not implemented only by the students. It is essential to have people from the community be greatly involved into the planning and implementation and monitoring phase of their projects. This involved the close participation of the community to achieve the objectives of each of the selected fast track interventions. The participatory approaches varied from focus groups discussions with concerned groups of people from the local community (Figure 42), such as in the project of the Mazarita Tool Book, meetings with the youth of Ezzbet Al-Nasr since the youth Figure 42: Focus Groups Discussions are more risky and dynamic when it comes to technology Source: IUSD students 2012 and interventions, as in Al-Ezzbah Asly Project (Figure 44), public meetings with the local community as in Trash Becomes Cash (Figure 43) and involving school children in their space as in Streetscape Design. 2.4.2.Networking During the course of working on Ezzbet Al- Nasr, students built different networks. Interestingly, it was observed that the nature of these networks varied from one group to another as well as from one phase to another. For instance, the group of ‘El-Ezzbah Asly’ (Community Market project) identified a network of stakeholders during the consultation phase. This network included a number of wood and carpet craftsmen (Figure 45). The group considered these stakeholders their asset. The group did not need to go back and network on a wider level with the community. The group was concerned if they widen the stakeholder network, they would end up with a complex setting, with big network of craftsmen, which could lead to conflict in interests. Hence, they closed the network over the initial identified craftsmen, and focused on promoting and marketing their work. In the case of Biogas project, they began with solid waste in general. They realized after a while that would be facing a fierce competition with Mansheyt Nasr. They were in situation where they should either build a subnetwork, or die. Hence, they re-considered the garbage issue and zoomed into organic waste, then the Biogas. They built two networks: a network with an NGO outside the area, and another inside the area with residents willing to implement in their houses. As for ‘Mazarita Tool Book’, the network was not built to implement the project. This is because of the nature of the project lies at the top level in the government. Thus, the network was basically formed for building an understanding 30

Figure 44: Meetings with the Youth Source: IUSD students 2012

Figure 43: Public Meetings with the Community Source: IUSD students 2012


Figure 45: Craftsmen in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source: IUSD students 2012

Figure 46: Mazarita Residents Source: IUSD students 2012

on the issue. The network covered people in the area, the governorate, the social security ministry, the State council to check the validity and possibility of implementation. This created a process of negotiation, the stakeholders at the periphery (Figure 46). In case of Mazarita, the issue of tenure was a top issue, because it is still a growing society not wellestablished as other informal areas. It is more threatened, the government can come and claim the land. Thus project could be regarded as a technical response of the team to an urging demand in the area. This case has offered an opportunity for the students to apply most of the principles, core tools and techniques that they were exposed to during their study in the IUSD MSc. program and during the course of “Integrated case study� in specific, such as the participatory approach which was one of the main principles that the four projects integrated primarily in all the stages, as the students worked on raising the awareness of the local community of Ezzbet Al-Nasr from the beginning, and evaluated their development ideas in an attempt to continuously respond to the existing area limitations, low income, as well as the conservative nature of informal communities in Egypt.

31


aa


Chapter 3 The Integrated Case Study (ICS) Students’ Outputs Abstract 3.1 Phase1: Urban Profiling 3.2 Phase 2: Gaps and Needs Assessment 3.3 Phase 3: Fast Track Interventions 3.4 Phase 4: Implementation

In this chapter, abstracts of the students’ work and projects’ outputs of the Integrated Case Study module will be presented. These outputs include many of the tools mentioned in Chapter 1 that vary from desktop researches, field interviews, meeting with officials and participatory workshops with the residents of the area. The preliminary analysis stage was the students’ first step for the assessment of the community urban needs, opportunities, and challenges of the informal area of Ezzbet Al-Nasr. The outputs are not limited only to documentation reports of the processes with their illustration and graphics but most of the interventions have been taken further to preliminary level of implementation such as the installation of Biogas units on the roofs of a few houses in Ezzbet Al-Nasr, workshops with the schoolchildren of ‘Al-Shaheed Mohamed El-Dora’ School, etc. All these interventions ended up with an on-site public event ‘IUSD Exhibition Day’ that attracted visitors to Ezzbet Al-Nasr for recognition and exposure. This even was also accompanied by an exhibition for the local products of AlEzzbah Asly and the kick-off for the Mazarita Toolbook. The students, who were divided into dynamic and changing groups depending on each working phase, had identified different ways to structure their work in terms of a methodological set of data collection and analysis tools which intermingled together in the form of comprehensive integrated projects. These projects helped to serve Ezzbet Al-Nasr. Hence, the integration part of the whole process follows.

33


3.1 Phase 1: Urban Profiling 3.1.1.Basic Urban Services »» Site Analysis Abstract By studying the basic urban services in the area a lack of most of the services such as health, security, recreation areas was identified, although the locals can use the service from the adjacent area but it burdens them with extra costs and time. On the other hand, there are some services that are sufficient such as religious facilities and electricity. The area is located very exposed on the crossing of two main highways, which is adding to its economic value. It can be concluded that many basic urban service are actually present on site. Yet, the quality and maintenance of these services is often highly unsatisfactory. Accessibility and Street Network: The neighbourhood is lo- Figure 47: Roads surrounding Ezzbet Al-Nasr cated between the slaughterhouse in the North, two main Source:IUSD students 2012 highways and the Ring Road in the South, and the ‘Autostrad’ in the East. From the South, Ezzbet Al-Nasr is connected to the neighboring district by two underground tunnels. A narrow staircase provides an access to the Ring Road whereas a pedestrian bridge allows the overpass of the ‘Autostrad’. No clear entrances can be identified along the external perimeter of the area (Figure 47). Streets within the neighbourhood have widths from 2 to 6 meters. Most internal streets are unpaved and blocked by chairs, or shop stands which act as an obstacle to the access of emergency vehicles. Educational Facilities: There is a major school complex in Figure 48: Walking distance for school complex the northern edge of the site in an area named “Zerzara”. Source:IUSD students 2012 It is at a walking distance from most the edges of the site (Figure 48). The two primary schools in the school complex are not sufficient for the area. Local students stated that preparatory school classes only contain 7 students, maybe an indicator of school dropouts. It is important to note, that the area lacks a girl preparatory school. The area doesn’t contain a secondary school even though 1800 students in the age of secondary education live in the area. Health Care Facilities: Many locals reported the lack of clinics in the area although during the observation several clinics were detected. According to urban standards as Allam (1993) mentions, there is a need for one ambulance house, Figure 49: Health Facilities in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source:IUSD students 2012

34


one motherhood and childhood center and one health unit in each neighbourhood. There is a clear lack of the two later services (Figure 49). Recreational Facilities: Children have reported playing in the streets, any vacant land or the green area on the main road. They also go to clubs in Al-Basateen. A new club or youth center is being constructed close to the neighborhood on the northern edge (Figure 50).

Figure 50: Recreation in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source: IUSD students 2012

Retail Services: There is no vegetable or fruit market in the area. Women go to Al-Basateen to buy their vegetables, or they rely on street vendors (Figure 51). Small kiosks and open food stands are run by the residents. Security: Many of the interviewees reported an increase in thugs in the area starting with the squatting of the vacant land in the northeast of Ezzbet Al-Nasr called Al-Mazarita. Inhabitants also reported drug trafficking, especially close to the cemetery.

Figure 51: Shops & Workshops in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source: IUSD students 2012

Public Services: No natural gas is provided in the area although it is present in the surrounding residential areas (Saqr Korish). The government has installed a new sewage system. However, it is not fully functioning yet. All houses are connected to the main water system and to electricity, but there are complaints on water pressure and electricity cuts.

»» SWOT Analysis Strengths

Weaknesses

• • •

• • • • • •

The area is well connected to the main highways Four schools are present in the area Jobs are provided for youth and locals

No clear entrances to the site Unpaved streets within the site Physical barriers from the northern and western edge No affordable public health services No public transportation inside the area Lack of educational services for different educational stages Possible extension of 6th October street (parallel to Mehwar Al-Mouneb highway)

Opportunities

Threats

• • • •

Availability of vacant land for allocating needed services Use of the school complex for more activities (secondary school and recreation) Possible use of the new market in the north edge Possible extension of 6th October Street (parallel to Mehwar Al-Mouneb highway)

Demand increasing for BUS after the new squatting on the site Thugs in the area have increased since the revolution (according to inhabitants‘ perception)

35


3.1.2.Local Economic Development »» Site Analysis Abstract Ezzbet Al-Nasr has a strategic location for the development of light industry. Its situation on the crossing point of the Ring Road and ‘Autostrad’ and the proximity to the marble hub, the regional marble clearinghouse ‘Shak El Teben’ favours the concentration of car services and marble workshops (Figure 52). A question arises concerning the health and environmental impact of these activities on the 60,000 estimated inhabitants. The main strength in the area is the potential workforce and the strong established economic network within the site and GCR (Figure 53). In addition, a considerable potential to develop small-scale manufactur- Figure 52: Economic Activities in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source: IUSD students 2012 ing enterprises seems promising.

»»

Figure 53: Distribution of Economic Activities Source: IUSD students 2012

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

Weaknesses

• • • • • •

• •

Strong and established networks and economic activities Connection to existing major roads Great amount of human resources

Lack of infrastructure Noise, pollution and unsafe work environment Child labour Unskilled labour force Concentration in the fringe areas Insecure tenure of business (registration issue) and work spaces

Opportunities

Threats

• •

• • •

36

Potential of formalization: legal framework allowing legalization and registration Potential of strengthening the local micro economy Building capacity of unskilled labour force Garbage separation and small scale recycling activities as job and investment opportunities

External investors Non-applicability of work laws and labour rights


3.1.3.Land and Shelter »» Site Analysis Abstract After the analysis of Land and Shelter on different aspects (physically, politically, socially, economically) questions of justice and the right of a decent life are raised and still vague. People in Ezzbet Al-Nasr feel deprived of their rights and powerless. They believe to be besieged in almost all the studied aspects. In addition the locals have high expectations towards external non-governmental and religious organizations due to the lack of trust between them and the government, which gives them the opportunity to gain trust from the locals. However, the informal situation of Ezzbet Al-Nasr provides them with space for innovative solutions, which does not follow the dominated restrictions of the governmental legislations; on both urban and physical scales. Figure 54: Cycle of Court Decisions Planned and Unplanned Areas Source: IUSD students 2012

Figure 55: Inhabitants Role of Payment Source: IUSD students 2012

The encroachment process started when people coming from Upper Egypt (especially from ‘Al-Minia’ governorate) (Source: questionnaire from the interviewed sample) who squatted in proximity to the Jewish cemetery. This illicit encroachment became a large-scale urban reality forcing the government to provide the area with infrastructure, which in turn encouraged the settlers to stay and drew more people to the area. After the government recognized the area, the encroachments did not stop. Gaps in the legal system were used to justify the position of the settlers. Today, the informal settlers need to provide a written proof stating that they are expanding on an unplanned area to justify their position in court (Figure 54) (Interviewee: Hasaneen 2012). In-Between Informality and Legalization:: In order to receive legal land ownership of a plot that is being squatted on, the General Organization for Physical Planning (GOPP) needs to provide a detailed legal plan for the area. Until now, the GOPP contracted a consultant to be in charge of preparing these plans. Until today, the inhabitants of Ezzbet Al-Nasr used to pay a one-time-amount of about 5 EGP/ m2 to the administration of the Al-Basateen district to receive the right of utilizing the land they are living on (Figure 55) (Interviewees: Shaaban 2012, Hussien 2012). In addition, they have to pay annual fees called “awayed” as a tax to guarantee their stay. They regularly receive legal receipts for these payments. Recently, settlers have been exempted from these taxes due to a new tax law. In case the squatters want to sell their real estate they do not sell the land or 37


the building. Instead, they label the sale of their building as construction waste on state-owned land (Interviewees: Shaaban 2012, Hussien 2012). Role of the administration: According to the UUU, the administration of the Al-Basateen district takes the decision of upgrading a specified informal area. Then, it hands-over the responsibility to the GOPP which is in charge of gathering data and making surveys providing the basis for the preparation of the detailed future plan containing street widths, building heights, infrastructure provision, etc. A consultancy office then is planned to handle the implementation Figure 56: Administrative Role in Providing Detailed Legal Plans process (Figure 56) (Interviewee: Hasaneen 2012). Source: IUSD students 2012

Spatial Analysis: Through spatial mapping of the ratio between built and non-built areas in Ezzbet Al-Nasr, an average of 78-83% of built areas was found; accordingly the neighbourhood could be classified into a highly dense area. From the field visits, it was observed that the majority of the existing building materials are limited to red brick either with or without concrete and stones. In few cases it was noticed that they use metals and other reusable material for building temporary shelters or huts. The open public spaces were classified in terms of their typology and privacy (Tables 02 and 03).

SWOT Analysis Strengths

Weaknesses

• •

• • •

The informally built environment fulfils the need of privacy and strengthens the social life for the area and its residents Implicit design regulations for the area without a superior external control The compact urban fabric provides better outdoor climatic conditions Local developers act as a social support for the neighbours

• • • •

Buildings’ physical conditions Lack of sun accessibility due to the street narrow width in relation to building height proportion Non-normed built environment (construction, environmental, etc.) Segregation concerning building conditions between Ezzbet Al-Nasr itself and the surrounding areas Illegal practice of selling land and buildings as ‚construction wastes‘ on the „governmental“ land Gaps in local legislations facilitate more encroachments

Opportunities

Threats

• •

• •

38

The compact urban fabric creates privacy to the neighbourhood and supports intimate social relationships between the residents Temporary structures could be opportunities for a structured development The gaps in local legislations of unplanned areas facilitate and encourage more encroachments

External investors Non-applicability of work laws and labour rights


Table 02: Open Spaces Typologies in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source: IUSD students 2012

Table 03: Building Typologies in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source: IUSD students 2012

39


3.1.4.Governance »» Site Analysis Abstract This section analyses the formal and informal systems of governance in Ezzbet Al-Nasr including existing networking dynamics. The research includes government policies towards the area including the state-led interventions in the area. There is a general consensus among the inhabitants concerning their problems and needs. These results in creating active movements for influential individuals to get things done and make the voice of the community heard. Natural leaders and kinship have an important presence and gain a lot of trust from the local community. There is noticeable lack of trust between the local community and the higher authorities. The new governmental reforms could be seen as a potential to re-establish trust between the local community and the new regime. The lack or inefficiency of the basic urban services like the sewage system, the educational system, electricity supply, etc. makes the community more vulnerable. However active NGOs facilitate the direct relation between the inhabitants and the service supply.

Municipality Level

Local District Hayy (Districts)

Governorate (Mohafaza)

• Urban Upgrading Unit • Governor • Governor Deputy for the South Zone • Urban Planning Dep. • General Department for Land Ownership

Central Government

• • • • • • • • • • •

Ministry of Local Development Ministry of Sewage & Sanitation Cleanness & Beautification Association Education Administration Ministry of Social Solidarity General Organization of Physical Planning (GOPP) Ministry of Environment General Authority for Road, Bridge and Land Transport

Egyptian Funds

• Informal Settlement • Development Fund (ISDF) • National Fund for the UUU

International

• (GIZ)

Formal Governance: The diagram (Figure 57) shows an ex- Agencies/ • European Union • HSBC ample of the present system of the formal governance net- Actors • Popular council work in Ezzbet Al-Nasr including the formal governmental Elected Bodies • Parliament bodies as well as the locally involved actors (Table 04). This Military information is based on the report about the proposed development plan of Ezzbet Al-Nasr received from the UUU Table 04: Relevant Actors and Bodies on the different Administration Tiers in Ezzbet Al-Nasr representative (UUU 2010a). Source: IUSD students 2012

Figure 57: Present System of the Formal Governance Network in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source: IUSD students 2012

40


Informal Governance: The approach strategy for the field survey (interviews) was aiming to comprehend the social structure and network of the informal governance. Some of the semi-official on-the-ground attempts for regulation were defined based on the site investigation. An example is illustrated shows ways for keeping the informally constructed buildings as a status quo (Figure 58). It is based on interviews with the executive director of the UUU (Interviewees: Ahmad and Shouadfy 2012).

SWOT Analysis

Figure 58: Stakeholder Mapping of Informal Networks - Governance Source: IUSD students 2012

Strengths

Weaknesses

• • • •

High levels of individual political & social activism Awareness of own problems Motivation to get things done Natural leaders enjoy wide public support.

• • •

Lack of trust from community towards the local authorities Lack of inclusive and visible efforts & advocacy organization for the area Lack of solidarity between inhabitants to fight against uncontrolled gas prices and rents, a well as a nonfuntioning school system Expectation that the state is the only actor to change the situation in the area.

Opportunities

Threats

• • •

Current political changes on the national level may motivate the people to not completely rely on the state or to trigger changes in the system of local government (trickle down effect) Active Community Based Organizations (CBOs), NonGovernmental Organizations (NGOs), and individuals Interest of external organizations in the area (GIZ, HSBC, etc.) Politicians count on support of the extended families in the settlement during elections.

• • • •

Weak connection from governmental authorities to the area People are not included in the formal decision making process Interests of external organization are prevalent in the area Lengthy bureaucratic process for decision making Some state-assigned employees discourage efforts for upgrading as they hold the inhabitant responsible for their degraded living conditions

41


3.1.5.Environment  Site Analysis Abstract Due to a short initial analysis phase, the results at hand should be regarded as preliminary results. However, the analysis on site revealed that concerning some environmental aspects, a general lack of awareness is apparent. Findings on some of the issues observed on site and subsequently discussed in the group such as noise pollution, air pollution could not be verified or falsified through interviews, as inhabitants do not perceive these issues as problematic. Soil: The soil in the area can be classified as limestone (Yousef 1979), which is a sedimentary rock mainly consist- Figure 59: Geological Map for Greater Cairo ing of Calcium carbonate (CaCo3) in form of Calcite and Source: (Yousef 1979) Aragonite (Figure 59). It is often used as construction material as it’s processing is relatively easy (Krancj 2006). Water: Ezzbet Al-Nasr is supplied through the municipal water supply system, but according to a local social worker from Ezzbet Al-Nasr the supply is often limited to the night hours; and not all households are connected. Air: Local air appears to be polluted from different sources (UMP TU Berlin 2010:45); garbage burning, exhaust air released by workshops (e.g. stone cutting) and traffic close- Figure 60: Vegetation Map for Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source: IUSD students 2012 by and toxic gases from the slaughterhouse which reach the site with the prevailing north wind. Vegetation: Vegetables are just grown for leisure, not really for food production. There is little space. Some richer houses have dooryards where some more plants could be grown (Figure 60). Noise: Traffic noise affects mainly the eastern and southern fringe areas of Ezzbet Al-Nasr facing the two main traffic roads. Main noise sources from within the area are workshops and social noise as well as temporary activities such as construction sites. Due to technical constraints concerning measurement tools, the group developed an intuitive noise map (Figure 61) to illustrate the locations of noise stress. Sewage: The sewage system is newly established for the main streets inside the area. The government did not connect all the houses to it, so people started to connect their houses manually, according to their financial capacities. Furthermore, inhabitants and house owners regularly have Figure 61: Intuitive & Perceptive Noise Map Source: IUSD students 2012 to pump out the solid organic waste from the main sewage 42


in order to take it to a dump area. Waste: The “valuable” garbage is then sold to wholesalers who again sell it to external material factories for further processing (Interviewee: Ahmad 2012). A garbage separation facility is currently under construction in th NorthWest of Ezzbet Al-Nasr and is planned to serve the neighbourhood as well as further districts.

Figure 62: Open Spaces in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source:IUSD students 2012

Open Spaces: Streets appear to be considered as the main public open spaces while the most important part of daily and social activities take place there. However, the area has a certain (yet unidentified) number of abandoned plots that are presently often used as garbage dumps (Figure 62). The Jewish cemetery is partly used as an open space by children.

»» SWOT Analysis Strengths

Weaknesses

• • • • • • •

Water: connected to proper water source for minimum hygiene Vegetation: there is gardening activity, people take care of plants, people are aware of importance of vegetation as shade element, filter and decoration, plants can be found anywhere in the neighbourhood Noise: central zones of the area are calmer (compared to outside) Animals: raising domestic animals - both for individual use and investment, used as resource for income and food Garbage: recycling - separation of garbage as income factor Air: cemetery provides ventilation Soil: lime stone layer decreases infiltration of pollution Sewage: existence of closed sewage system and plant Open space: availability of small voids

• • • • • • • •

Water: lack of water for proper irrigation, needs to be economized, chlor, ground water is highly polluted Vegetation: small overall quantity of vegetation in the area, no proper park area or zone, no crops, low filtering efficiency Noise: multiple layers of sounds, proximity to highways and industrial area (stone plant and workshops), no sound barrier (wall) Animals: exposed to open sewage and garbage health hazard Garbage: openly exposed on the street, attracting vermins, hence disease Air: polluted due to exhaust air - i.e. traffic and burnt (mixed) garbage Soil: desertous and dense soil, potentially low fertility Sewage: some channels still open, leakages in the system - exposure and infiltration , smell Open space: general lack of open & recreational space

Opportunities

Threats

• • • • • • • •

Water: purification and reuse of available water, creation of use cycles Vegetation: increased cultivation for food production, shades and filtering of air pollution, beautification of the site Noise: different zones /grades of noise levels Animals: animal stool available for dung (fertilizer) Garbage: improved system of recycling leading to less contamination, allocation of closed waste space to reduce health hazards through direct contact Air: filtering through increased vegetation Soil: increased availability of dung can improve the soil’s fertility Sewage: create an improved and decentralized system of sewage to reduce exposure, potentially including wetland construction including environmental benefits Open space: use and develop open spaces (within neighborhood) to ensure wind paths, keep cemetery as green open air circulation space

• • • • • • • •

Water: increased pollution and contamination, continuous worsening of health hazards, change of water supply through climate change Vegetation: inefficient and irregular irrigation can lead to less water availability, occurence of droughts Noise: increase of traffic and other sound sources, increase of stress Animals: inappropriate keeping of animals can lead to health hazards through dung and food (meat) Garbage: health hazards for human and animals through strongly contaminated air, contamination of the environment (air, soil, water, etc.) Air: increase of traffic and no alternative to burning waste, more densified urban fabric will decrease ventilation, toxic gas from slaughterhouse Soil: increased availability of dung can improve the soil’s fertility Sewage: no maintenance services and renewal will cause advanced decay, hence more health risks Open space: increasing densification inside and on the borders to the settlement

43


3.1.6.Vulnerability In the absence of private and government housing initiatives, low-income settlements are the only affordable housing for the poor. Yet, it is not just about housing but about informality giving residents affordable opportunities in transportation and other services. Uncomplicated and manageable changes arise from a ‘civic space’ (Figure 63). The issue is not to get rid of the informal areas, but to give inhabitants of those areas the opportunities and the framework that will help them live and work in dignity and improve the quality of their lives. “6 dimensions of justice”; exploitation, marginalization, powerlessness, cultural imperialism, violence and ecological projects (Harvey 1992) were used to define vulnerability within Ezzbet Al-Nasr. Those aspects are interpreted into 3 main categories of vulnerability.

Figure 63: Urban Development Actors Influencing Vulnerability in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source: IUSD students 2012

Urban Vulnerability: Ezzbet Al-Nasr is physically and socially segregated from the rest of the city. People have no easy access to basic urban services such as labor markets, health or adequate education which makes it more difficult for them to search for a solution to their daily life problems. The invisibility of the urban planning and local urban development policies left the area frozen for years without any administrative solutions to recover it. Spatial Vulnerability: People in Ezzbet Al-Nasr are subjected to lack or bad distribution of urban services such as housing and education. People who live along the major roads have better access to services and opportunities (Figure 64).The lack of health services is one of the main problems for the people as the nearest governmental hospital Ahmed Maher, is 12 kilometers away. The other health services available in the surrounding are either expensive or do not accept the residents of Ezzbet Al-Nasr, claiming that they do not belong to their area of service. Socio-Economic Vulnerability: The demographic characteristics of the people of Ezzbet Al-Nasr show another dimension of vulnerability in the area. Employment, equity in allocation of resources, and access to opportunities are more issues that contribute to the vulnerability of the area. Groups such as child labourers, disabled persons, single mothers, divorced women, unemployed inhabitants, etc. are more vulnerable and marginalized than others. Furthermore, they have much more difficulties to better their situation (Table 05). 44

Figure 64: Exposed Areas along the Ring Road Source: IUSD students 2012


Vulnerable Group

State (national Plan)

Market (Investment)

Civil Society (Action Plans)

Homeless

Inadequate housing

No Investment in affordable housing

Absence of housing initiatives (cooperative incremental housing)

People in need of health services

Absence of health services

Expensive private clinics

Non-existence of health units initiatives (Medical convoys)

Day earners

Unstable economic situation

Not enough well-paid stable jobs

Capacity building – small enterprises

Tenants

Insecure property or use rights

No threshold for lease and rents

Absence of a collective system of “use rights”

Unemployed

Lack of income generating local projects

Youth who would like to continue their education

Insufficient high schools and public transportation

Aim for high investment private posh schools

Loss of traditional schooling (kotab) or initiatives (Lab on wheels)

Child labours

Declining family income

Mobilize cheap labour

Loss of family support networks/awareness

Elderly people

Disregard to their needs

Deficiency of family support networks

Single mothers

Inadequate social benefits

Scarcity of income generating projects

Disabled

Disregard to their needs (Schools, roads, hospitals)

Absence of an NGO that meet their needs - Awareness

People subject to violence/ hazards

Security vacuum Enforcement of environment laws

No community mapping and reporting technology

Culture services

SWOT Analysis

Cultural Promotion Table 05:Relations between Vulnerability, State, Market and Civil Society in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source: IUSD students 2012

Strengths

Weaknesses

• •

• •

Exposure to the main roads helps people to establish their income generating activities Social structures and traditions such as family kinship and extended families The initiative done by the residents such as NGOs and the Ezzbet Al Nasr Facebook page

• • • • • •

Inequity in the allocation of resources Absence of police causes problems to the powerless groups Inner areas and peripheries are more vulnerable and marginalized than others along the main roads Child labour in risky working environment Women particularly single mothers, divorced women and girls are under-privileged High percentage of unemployed residents High-priced health services No secondary schools for girls forcing some of them to quit school very early

Opportunities

Threats

• •

• • •

Cultural promotion using the motivated youth and residents NGO initiatives for better health services, garbage collection and cleaning Interest of international and local organization in helping women and youth Possibility of involving empowered groups such as the local investors and natural leaders

Security of tenants, no control on the monthly rent Security of tenure and threat of acquisition by the state

45


3.2 Phase 2: Gaps and Needs Assessment 3.2.1. Identification of Issues Cross-Cutting Main Issues

Specific Issues

Basic Urban Services: • Problems due to sewage deficiency & disposal • Problems due to garbage disposal • Quality of educational services • Lack of security services • Possibility of using existing structure of the school complex for other uses • Potential of connecting the third lane of 6th of October road to highway • Lack of adequate health services • Inequity in the allocation of resources Local Economic Development: Local economic structure • Lack of local investors • Unbalanced activity allocation • Non-diversified activities (domination of light industry sector) Working Environment • Unhealthy & inadequate conditions • Lack of women‘s participation in economic activities • Pollution (sound, air, water, soil) • Individuals with wealthy economic activities are better connected to power structures • Weakness of basic services • Insecurity of tenure • Child labour • Unskilled labour force

• Unhealthy & inadequate working conditions such as pollution and insecurity of tenure (environment) • Unbalanced economic structures (activities) • Unskilled labor force dependent on unstable and irregular jobs and prevalence of child labour (people’s criteria)

Land and Shelter: Legislations • Implicit building regulations • Lack of legal ownership and security of tenure • Gaps in local legislations facilitate further encroachments Built environment • Spatial and physical conditions • Sewage system affects buildings’ foundations • Unsafe deteriorated structures (huts) • Lack of sun accessibility due to compactness of urban fabric People • Local developers exert leadership and power on the local community • Compact urban fabric is a fertile soil for the thugs with lack of police control • Social segregation within the neighbourhood

Legislations • Lack of tenure security • Informal extensions • Absence of building regulations Built Environment • Deteriorated physical conditions • Overcrowding of the urban fabric • Temporary structures • Regional segregation • Local physical segregation People • Social segregation • Deficient area recognition • Informal real estate market

Table 06: Issues Concluded from Preliminary Prioritization Source: IUSD students 2012

46


3.2.2.Stakeholder Identification After compiling the lists of all groups, a round-table discussion including the whole research team was set up in order to share knowledge. The end result of this information gathering exercise consisted of 60 stakeholders summarized within the following categories (Figure 65): »» Local community »» Local civil society »» International civil society »» Egyptian civil society »» Economic actors »» Political and administrative level »» Municipality »» Governorate (‘Mohafaza’) »» Central government »» Elected bodies »» Political parties »» Egyptian funds »» International agencies

Figure 65: Stakeholder Identification in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source: IUSD students 2012

47


3.2.3.Prioritization of Issues Each of the previous matrices (Issues VS. Issues) and (Issues VS. Stakeholders) prioritized a number of issues. Each group prioritized a number of issues. The common issues were combined and summed up into eight issues, as a result of the main independent factors from the Issues VS. Issues matrix and the beneficiary related prioritization from the Issues VS. Stakeholder matrix. The prioritized issues are: 1.

Security of tenure (staying permanently on the plot and in the house/apartment, security from eviction/ relocation, including ownership and rent)

2.

Quality and demand of labour force (embedding unskilled labour force in economic networks, schools, and vocational education, empowerment, child labour, women’s education)

3.

Deterioration of building conditions (dilapidated buildings, lack of maintenance)

4.

Accessibility and mobility (segregation, access to the area, services, security)

5.

Compactness versus overcrowding of the urban fabric (squatters, density, open spaces, privacy, high stress on infrastructure and environmental aspects such as ventilation)

6.

Urban and physical extensions (squatters, attachments, code violations, informal mechanisms of building extensions)

7.

Informal real estate market (contractors, mechanisms)

8.

Recognition of the area (maps, general acceptance and eradication of stigmatization from outside) The matrix calculation excluded garbage and education that were considered very relevant for further intervention.

It was proposed to simplify the calculations due to time constraints and other limitations.

48


3.3 Phase 3: Fast Track Interventions 3.3.1. Design Briefs Development 1.

Al-Ezzbah Asly: Community Market

Scope Figure 66: Community Market Proposal Source: IUSD students 2012

Figure 68: Drawings and Paintings on Houses Source:IUSD students 2012

The idea is to highlight the local assets of Ezzbet Al-Nasr through enhancing its recognition and perception to the outside by creating a customer-producer relationship that encourages the creative industries hence fostering selfesteem and sense of pride in the neighbourhood. Many of the self-employed craftsmen in the informal settlements, contribute to a large part of the informal economic system in Egypt. These self-employed craftsmen located in the informal neighbourhood produce handmade carpets, embroidery, lamps and much more. From this perspective, ‘Al-Ezzbah Asly’ attempts to promote the local craftsmen of the neighbourhood, establish a more positive image of the neighbourhood and promote the valuable contribution of Ezzbet Al- Nasr to Cairo’s universe of self-made products. Objectives »» Highlight the local assets & promote local economy »» Develop a sustainable financing system with the craftsmen and facilitate financial inflow into the area

Figure 67: Community Market Collage Proposal Source: IUSD students 2012 November 2012 Approach: Step 1 Find support from potential participants for the idea Purchase of crafts on site to test quality and build trust Most important stakeholders: Local craftsmen • Marble flooring • Carpenters (furniture) • Weavers (carpets) • Lamp makers • Painters • Pottery (kitchenware)

»» Encourage participation in handicrafts skills Work Plan

December 2012 Approach: Step 2 Search for advice from people and organizations experienced in such projects: • Stakeholders: CBOs/ NGOs • Community market organizations • Consulting organizations

January 2013 Approach: Step 4 Define the participating workshops and produce a map used for advertising during and after the exhibition.

Approach: Step 3 Form a committee of interested craftsmen and other inhabitants who organize the exhibition in collaboration with IUSD (Stakeholders: workshop owners, community leaders, youth)

February 2013 Approach: Step 6 Identify an advertising strategy for the exhibition Approach: Step 7 Decide upon the land used for the exhibition & receive the permission to do so Approach: Step 8 Provide funding for the workshop in order to preproduce for the exhibition

Approach: Step 5 Provide workshops with new ideas for identified demand: • Bring established craftsmen to the area • Present ideas that find demand elsewhere in Cairo • Match the demand & supply

Approach: Step 9 Set-Up the Community Market

49


2.

Trash Becomes Cash

Scope The project idea was generated to produce Biogas as a solution for not just the wastes problem but also for its cost return value and energy saving which implies a win-win situation. Some wastes could be sold, others could be transformed into artworks or gadgets that also could be sold or used. The challenge here is what could be done with all these organic wastes (food wastes, animals’ dung…) which are found everywhere in the neighbourhood. From this perspective the project can introduce an income generating Figure 70: Mission Flow Chart business for the community. Source: IUSD students 2012

Objectives »» Provide job opportunities through garbage management »» Raising individuals income along with awareness »» Assuring cleanness of the neighbourhood on the long run, specifically from organic wastes »» Supporting other interventions with needed materials Work Plan

50

Figure 69: Garbage Dumps along Main Roads Source: IUSD students 2012


3.

Roofing and Upgrading Envelope

Scope

Figure 71: Process of Gabion Manufacturing Source:IUSD students 2012

The project addresses the issue of building deterioration in the area of Ezzbet Al-Nasr. The squatting process gave birth to different construction systems. Each typology presents a certain deficiency either structural or related to human comfort or both. There is a great presence of various waste materials on site which should be considered during the design process as means of promoting recycling and reuse of waste, creating alternative industries and forming a unique architectural style that is specific to the site. The construction phases should be incremental and take into account the extended family housing that is a characteristic of the local demography. The construction should be a phased out process in which the unit extends according to the availability of funds with the residents and the need for extra space. This calls for a flexible design that allows future extension without disturbing the functional organisation of the housing unit.

Objectives  Improve the living conditions of a family residing in Ezzbet El-Nasr by offering better indoor conditions

Figure 72: Roofing and Envelope Incremental Intervention Source: IUSD students 2012

Work Plan

51


4.

Mazarita Toolbook: For A Sustainable & Incremental Process of Tenure Security

Scope In a city where 65% residents live in informal areas, informality becomes the “norm” (Séjourné,2012). Cases from informal areas in Cairo have taken the model of “individual titling” and have not been successful such as the case of Manshyet Nasser (Runkel,2009). The idea is to have a toolbook developed in participation with the residents of Mazarita; advocating their occupancy rights. The main vision is that residents achieve occupancy, upon the development of a tenure policy based on a consensus between the locals and state through an incremental planning process. Community services are provided on the remaining land to prevent uncontrolled pressure on the informal rental market through locally sensitive measures of tenure security. Objectives »» A Proposed tenure policy option (short term) that is discussed and agreed upon by the locals and to put in place effective local land management arrangements

»» Formulation of a Community Land Trust or Committee which is aware of and empowered to establish community-based titles or cooperatives

»» A communicated data on aspects of land distribution, situations, households and important information

»» To bridge between the local community, civil, legal and media advocates to form a support unit for Mazarita

Work Plan Activity

Site visits and neighbourhood walks Data collection on the important aspects of their area of residence Local informants to communicating the gathered data with them Researches to identify land related aspects “legal setting, ownership for short term tenure, rights, etc” Consultation with legal firms and activists Gathering situation/legal related issues on each of the residing cases Communication with the government upon having all data

52

W1

W2

Figure 73: Morphology and Evolution of Mazarita Area in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source:IUSD students 2012 W3

W4

W5

W6

W7

W8

W9

W10


5.

Streetscape - Children as Design Partners

Scope

Figure 74: Accessibility around the School Source:IUSD students 2012

Children as Design Partners is a participatory project in Al Shaheed Muhammad Al-Durrah in Ezzbet Al-Nasr. The project aims at enhancing the streetscape in front of the school. The project – beyond its physical achievement – aims also at involving school children in participating in their space. Targeting the school is a trigger event to the existing initiatives in the area. The project effectively contributes to the development of the place through creating a network of partners around, and organizing a series of creativity workshops; in order to give space to the youngest actors in the area to be active towards the improvement of their school and neighbourhood. Objectives »» Increase the exposure of the area by enhancing the attractive nodes »» Improve the connectivity of Ezzbet El-Nasr internally and with the external context »» Improve the condition of local network »» Strengthen the relationship between inside and outside of Ezzbet El-Nasr »» Encourage the local authority to provide the area with the care needed

Figure 75: Internal Zoning of the School Source:IUSD students 2012

»» Integration of different activities and different actors »» Maximizing on available potentialities of localities Work Plan

53


6.

Shughl Balady - From Extensions to Local-Made Units

Scope The demand for housing is continuously increasing even though land availability is limited. Inhabitants have no choice but to expand vertically or squat on the adjacent vacant land which is considered now illegal and there is a high chance to be evacuated. As there is no such eviction activiFigure 77: Consultancy Unit Vision ties, and nowadays the area is continuously consolidating Source:IUSD students 2012 and new houses are being built. Hence, the issue of urban extensions should be considered in the future strategic planning development. The project aims at empowering the local community by actively including their input, actions and resource through setting up a “Shughl Baladi Consultancy Unit” or “Shughl Baladi Local Think Tank”. Objectives »» To give advice and have innovative, affordable ideas to influence the urban expansion »» To give advice and have innovative, affordable ideas to influence the physical expansion - consultancy activity Work Plan

54

Figure 76: Consultancy Unit Organisational Chart Proposal Source:IUSD students 2012


7.

Compactness VS Overcrowding of Urban Fabric

Scope

Figure 80: Sewage Network in Ezzbet Al-Nasr

Figure 79: Wetland Construction Proposal Source:IUSD students 2012

The microclimate in Ezzbet Al-Nasr is not very comfortable, especially in summer due to Egypt’s climate. Ezzbet AlNasr’s location in a megacity and the resulting Urban Heat Island Effect (UHI) as well as the use of building materials which absorb sunlight and increase the indoor temperature. The overcrowding of urban fabric puts a high stress on the infrastructure provided in the area. The sewage system especially suffers from the high load of sewage water and, in combination with lack of maintenance and resulting leakages, this leads to “sewage floods” and open exposure to waste water in the streets. Thus, the inhabitants of Ezzbet Al-Nasr are exposed to severe health hazards. The idea of the project is to overcome the overcrowding of urban fabric by introducing an ecological context through establishing roof top gardens and constructed wetlands. Objectives »» Solving the sewage problem as a result of overcrowding »» Treating water on the household level and re-using it »» Dealing with lack of open spaces and recreation areas as a result of overcrowding

Figure 78: Potential Impact Source:IUSD students 2012

Work Plan

55


3.3.2.Design Strategies Formulation The four projects that were voted upon are: 1. Streetscape- Children as Design Partners 2. ‘Al-Ezzbah Asly’ Community Market 3. Mazarita Toolbook: For A Sustainable & Incremental Process of Tenure Security 4. Trash Becomes Cash: An Applied Intervention for the Garbage Problem Solving

Problem Statement

Mazarita Toolbook

Streetscape - Children as Design Partners

Trash Becomes Cash

‘Al-Ezzbah Asly’ Community Market

• Governance: Lack of • Physical Aspect: Lack of • Physical Aspect: Mas• Physical Aspect: Accessecurity of tenure streetscaping for school sive amounts of garbage, sibility to reach crafts• Physical Aspect: Poor complex as a main athealth threats from the men, lack of outlets to services provision and traction point smoke arising from the display their products desperate need for • Social Aspect: Students’ burning of garbage • Social Aspect: Fear of socio-political, health negative attitudes • Accountability & Retaxes, capacity building and economic support • Participatory Aspect: sponsiveness: Absence • Economic Aspect: No • Economic Aspect: PeoFear that any developof government’s role financial backup, lack ple cannot afford housment without involvin the waste collection, of an economically susing expenses elsewhere ing the actors couldn‘t untrained workers in tainable capital flow sustain the garbage business • Economic Aspects: Poor neighbourhoods

Curriculum Reflections Integrated Approach- Case Study of Ezzbet Al-Nasr - Informal Local Community - Issues

Objectives

Weak legislative situation Informality and lack of security of tenure, absence of sense of ownership

56

Poor urban conditions Informality is reflected on poor physical conditions and area deterioration

Socio- economic impacts Lack of Proper education. unwillingness to enhance community skills and potentials, absence of investments

Overall Objective: Provide an enabling environment that expresses the residents’ demands, needs by advocating and interacting constructively in policy formulation

Overall Objective: Improve physical conditions of streets throughout the area Integration and promotion of a sense of ownership

Overall Objective: Overcome the overcrowding of urban fabric by introducing an ecological context through establishing roof top gardens and constructed wetlands

Overall Objective: Enhance exposure and recognition of the area Highlight the local assets and promote the local economy in Ezzbet AlNasr

Tenure policy options to be discussed and agreed upon by locals Formulation of land trust community/ committee which is responsible for the management of local land titles ( database of households and land distribution) Linkage of local community. Different actors and legal advocates in a one “support unit”

Perception: Improve children’s relationship with the School Participation: Involve student and teachers to work together on improving the school’s surrounding environment

Free the area from garbage Raise awareness in the area on the importance of recycling (winwin situation) Households participation in the cleanliness of the district On the long run building reputation and increasing the area’s recognition

Enable access to finance Develop a sustainable financing system with the craftsmen Facilitate financial inflow into the area Promote human resource development Encourage participation in business and handcraft skill enhancement


Mazarita Toolbook

Streetscape - Children as Design Partners

‘Al-Ezzbah Asly’ Community Market

Trash Becomes Cash

Promoting

Promoting

Promoting

Networking Building trust Solid and motivated partners Participatory design approach

Difficulties bringing several NGOs together, mediating and reducing conflicts, problem of commitment, etc…) Administrative obstacles (permissions, administrations, etc….) Cultural sensitivity of the conservative community in Ezzbet Al-Nasr

Initiate a demand and supply network Create a customer-producer network to produce a financial inflow to the area

Milestones

Promoting Networking Building trust Raise the community interest to participate

Capacity Building

Finance Create a map for marketing purposes through a community mapping event Provide start-up financing for the system

Difficulties to build a comCapacity Building mon understanding with people from different cultural Connect the craftsmen to backgrounds several training facilities for crafts and business knowledge

Curriculum reflections Integrated Approach - Case Study of Ezzbet El-Nasr - Informal local community - Contributions Promotion Raising the awareness of the local community

Process Phases

Networking and Preparation Phase: Promoting the Egyptian Cooperative Law and acquiring necessary data for the toolbook

Participation Integrating the community Networking and Preparation Phase: Building a network between potential associations, NGO’s and individuals in the field of work

Implementation Capacity building Fund-raising

Preparation Phase: Further research on what are the degradable wastes, turning wastes into resources, Biogas as an energy source and the economic return from such Establishment of ComCoordination and Stuprocedures for the initiation mittee Phase: Bringing dents’ Preparation Phase: of the project different interested actors Carrying out the workshops to meet together in the com- with the children and differNetworking Phase: Apmunity with no promises ent partners and volunteers proaching the local commuthat might not be fulfilled to nity for raising awareness and Promotion and Assessthe local community as the promoting the project main aim is to empower the ment Phase: The potential Implementation Phase: community by knowing their implementation of ideas Securing the financial and rights technical support, the instalPartnership Phase: bringlation process and monitoring ing together the direct actors of the project and beneficiaries with other interest groups for negotiation and feedback

Preparation Phase: Outreaching to interested local craftsmen, acquiring permissions from the district for launching the community market in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Participatory Phase: Approaching the local community for the promotion to a broad database, other local craftsmen and the youth of the area Exposure Phase: Promoting the local economy assets through a community mapping for the local craftsmen on-site and advertising for the community market and the project within and outside the neighbourhood

Outputs

The process of registering the committee officially will be in a further phase

Table 07: Matrix of Practices and Approaches in the Four Final Projects

57


3.4 Phase 4: Implementation 3.4.1.Mazarita Toolbook: Towards Incremental Processes of Tenure Security (Abstract) »» Team Rasha Arous- IUSD Student Franziska Laue- IUSD Student Lobna Mitkees- IUSD Student Muna Sha‘alan- IUSD Student Baher Al-Shaarawy- IUSD Student Omar Wanas- IUSD Student »» Introduction This tool book has been developed with full participation of the local residents of Mazarita; a post Egyptian Revolution squatted area to the Northern Side of the Historic Jewish Cemetery in Southern Cairo. It aims at advocating the resident’s occupancy rights in the area they arrived at and squatted in for deprivation reasons. It here very much emphasizes on advocating those who were brought to the area because of their poor conditions and not being able to afford housing expenses and not the brokers of the land and their affiliates who are using and manipulating the first group in order to acquire land. Occupancy Rights proposal is approached through an alternative to land-titling and through an incremental planning process that empowers them and helps them refine their needs and prospects and preserve their right of staying. This tool book reflects both on the ground and desktop analysis and the trial and error approach and some of the group works’ outputs in the available course of time and the conclusions that could be transferred to similar cases. It also has paved the way towards sustaining the process.

Figure 81: Mazarita from Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source:IUSD students 2012

Communities are capable of making the management of their area of residence and be in charge of the processes of land administration and management by engaging them in the formulation of the policies and legislation and plans. These processes are a learning experience. Our aim is to go beyond advocacy and provide an enabling environment in which they express their demands and needs and go further to interacting constructively in policy formulation. It has been argued that “gaining support of population and involving them in participatory processes are essential Figure 82: A Housing Unit in Mazarita at various stages of tenure formalization processes (from Source:IUSD students 2012 58


identification to cost recovery) (Durand-Lasserve and SELOD, 2009). The decentralization of land management and having the tenure upgrading and regularization at the local scale is essential in our thinking and approach. »» Project Background

“Planning for Real” as an appropriate tool (social networks) (Hamdi 1997, p.112) Short-medium run ( months as ideal3)

In a city of 65% residents living in informal areas, informality becomes the “norm” (Séjourné, 2012). Planners, policy makers, social and civil activists and others concerned with public affairs should consider understanding those dynamics and interrogating them as crucial elements before making any policies, strategies and development plans. In informal settings, security of tenure has been found as one of the neediest issues raised by local residents, and yet no approach to solving it has come to be a comprehensive and remedial one. Cases from other Cairo informal areas have taken the model of “individual titling” and have not been successful such as the case of Manshyet Nasser (Runkel, 2009). Therefore, approaching this aspect as one of the eight priorities that came out of the IUSD studio systemized needs assessment is our challenge here. We came to believe that the “conventional” approaches of securing tenure are no more helpful and we went for an “alternative” path. In order to onset from a realistic base, we selected the newly squatted area of Mazarita - as an emerging informal area and developed a framework of the socio-economic and political dynamics which are influencing its development and emergence and documenting its socio-physical aspects.

Insecure/ unstable Mazareeta community & settlement Action Planning To stabilize & empower community

A Community Land Trust for Mazareeta is established With the following objectives: (i)not to be evicted or harassed; (ii) to have access to basic infrastructure and services;

Long run ( years5- 3)

transitory community as a participatory partner: Much to gain, but needs organizing; Requires much efforts; customary target of community development input (Hamdi 1997, p.112)

An incremental approach that give preference to: Consolidated occupancy rights Collective interests rather than individual ones (financial dimension)

Ensuring Tenure Security

Figure 83: Proposed Paradigm for Security of Tenure in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Source:IUSD students 2012

59


»» Problem Statement A group of underclass people who hardly survive the living conditions of Mazarita as they do not afford housing expenses elsewhere are residing in the area and are in desperate need for socio-political, health and economic support (the percentage is said to have reached 50% of the number of divided lots, yet we believe it is less). The area is subject to ongoing change and is being created amidst a complex calculus of actors, interests and values which effect its stabilization. »» Objectives

• A Proposed tenure policy option (short term) that is

discussed and agreed upon by the locals • Formulation of a Community Land Trust or Committee which is AWARE of and EMPOWERED to establish community-based titles or co-operatives, and to put in place effective local land management arrangements, • A communicated data on aspects of Land distribution, situations, households and important information, • To bridge between the local community, civil, legal and media advocates and in between these actors to form a support unit dealing with the residents of Mazarita.

‫كتــيّــب‬

‫المزاريطه‬ MAZARITA TOOLBOOK For a sustainable and incremental process of tenure security

Edition 1

A registered cooperative which is both accepted by the locals and legitimized by the authorities

Formulating a local committee which is empowered to advocate occuoancy rights

Short term

?

Long term

towards security of tenure

• • • • • • • • •

identify meet discuss mobilize analyse research empower enable elect

Figure 84: Process of Achieving Milestones Source:IUSD students 2012

60

Mid term

• • • • • • • • •

consult partner back-up legimitize structure advocate proceed arrange negotiage

• decentralization of land management • set a right framework • formulation of local policies • legalization of plans • manage tenure titling


»» The Project The project went through a development process towards the security of tenure. This process has required several participatory actions with the purpose of establishing a community land trust (reflected in the Egyptian legal framework as cooperatives). The documentation of project stages was considered during the project time, such as documentation of site analysis, the desk studies and the contextual legal/ social/physical frameworks, which provided a transferrable experience to other similar cases and eventually produce a tool book. Establishing Trust: The process of establishing trust was a crucial aspect in the primary stages. A clear understanding and investigation was done for promoting the cooperative law and data collection. While the process of registering the committee officially starts in this phase and will continue in further phase. The project was about empowering the local community by introducing them to their rights through the cooperative law. According to the Egyptian Cooperative Law: “Construction and Housing Cooperative is a democratic mass organisation working to provide housing for its members and provide the necessary services for the integration of the built environment and guarantees its residential area care and maintenance.” Article 16, “The internal regulation of the Cooperative must consider that the membership is open; the administration is democratic; opportunities are equal and the distribution is just.” Article 19, and “The cooperative cannot be established on religious or political basis.” Article 20 Committee Establishment: This phase included the private election of the coordination committee, where the public was asked to elect five representatives to join the primary committee. The meeting moderation board stepped back in order not to influence the procedure, but stated that the five names had to encompass a female representative . The board set off to meet the opposition in order to set straighten misapprehensions. Partnership: This phase was built on bringing all together, the direct actors and beneficiaries with other interest groups for negotiation and feedback, and the coordinating committee was formed out of the first generated committee to follow up with the process of registering the committee officially. 61


»» The Outcome The tool Book consists of several independent sections (Figure 85). By dividing the book in differently coloured tabs, the reader can quickly browse through the content and switch from general information to more specific ones in a different chapter. Case studies, specific laws or other data is placed in boxes, easy to read and comprehended. Analytical and decriptive graphs help to gain an overview to the complex matters. At the end of each chapter, conclusions and recommendations are given, based on the Mazarita case, giving an outlook to other comparable issues. The Tool Book has been developed bilingual, to serve local as well as international actors. The Toolbook is addressed to:

• Direct Actors/ Beneficiaries: Private Initiatives, NGOs, active lawyers, etc., • Local communities, • Government bodies: Central government (Ministry of housing, etc. and local governance, i.e districts- governorate, UUU, etc.). • Other interest groups can be GIZ, right for housing associations, political parties, researchers, developers, media, etc.

Edition 1

Figure 85: Structure of the Tool Book Source:IUSD students 2012

62

03

04

- Checklists - Outputs - Making an Atlas - Contacts, etc. - Documenting the process

05

Annex

For a sustainable and incremental process of tenure security

02.2

- Why an Atlas - Intro to Mazarita - Evolution of Mazarita - Process of Squatting - Initial observations of dynamics - Facts and Figures (Land values, etc.) - Morphology - Checklist, Conclusion

Description of Mazarita Atlas (by and for community)

MAZARITA TOOLBOOK

02.1

Security of Tenure Actors

‫كتــيّــب‬ ‫مزاريطه‬

chapter 01

Security of Tenure Legal framework

DRAFT OF THE TOOLBOOK

- What actors are needed? - Actors involved in the process - The case of Cairo - The case of Mazarita - Mazarita Committee - Structure - Outlook - Recommendations - Checklist

Guidelines and checklists for Output section

- Introduction - Legal modes analysis -International case studies - Types and Tools - Concepts of Securing of tenure - Housing Cooperatives (HC) - Structure of HC - Recommendations - Checklist

Security of Tenure Introduction

- Mission - Objectives - Definition - Status Quo in Egypt - How to achieve SoT - International case studies - Scenarios - Alternatives - Outlook - Checklist

- CD - Sample Contrac - Photos


3.4.2.TRASH BECOMES CASH: An Applied Intervention for the Garbage Problem Solving (Abstract) »» Team Sandy Qarmout- IUSD Student Zeina El-Cheikh- IUSD Student Nahla Nabil- IUSD Student »» Introduction Since the issue of the quality and demand of labour force in Ezzbet Al-Nasr has got focus for its impact on the economical and environmental level, moreover, affecting the vulnerable groups in Ezzbet Al-nasr itself. This intervention will mainly focus on tackling this issue to build capacity, deal with the vulnerable groups and provide them along with other local sustainable job opportunities. Achieving that will be through trying to solve the site problems and at the same time making use of its potentials. »» Project Background Garbage is generally found almost everywhere in Ezzbet AlNasr: on the streets, pathways, and neglected vacant spaces especially in the streets just adjacent to the Jewish cemetery. The government does not collect waste from the area on regular basis (IUSD report, 2012). Those massive amounts of garbage are a result of an oblivious behaviour from the community as well as external wastes from neighbouring areas being thrown on the streets near the backward dump site (IUSD report, 2012). This recurrent acts raises the situation in the area to an exaggerated level. And in some cases, as observed during site visits, garbage and wastes are treated by being burned, which makes the situation even worse with the smoke and smell that caused several health problems; especially for the people who are living in proximity of the most densified locations. Yet, as observed many people have already established a garbage-related business, through which they collect, separate “valuable” (easy reusable or recyclable) garbage such as metal, plastic, cartoons, glasses, ..etc., and sell them to the wholesalers, who by their turn sell them eventually to some specialized factories for

further processing, (IUSD report, 2012). By that, the solid garbage is reduced from the area. However, and since these garbage collectors are not trained or for63


mally working in this business, they usually leave the streets worse than they were, because of their careless and indifferent attitudes towards the environment and the beautification of the area. »» Problem Statement It is obvious that the huge amount of left-over garbage in Ezzbet Al-Nasr is causing physical problems as a result of the direct exposure to the pathogenic germs of the organic wastes left. Here, we have decided that we want to work on solving this problem. However, we also noticed that people there are generally, a low-income community that is seeking any means for wellbeing and more comfortable circumstances. Therefore, an intervention that would focus mainly on tackling the garbage problem is highly needed to set it as a main goal for our work to solve one of the area’s problems and at the same time making use of its potentials. »» Objectives •

Household participation as a first step for the cleanness of the district.

Getting rid garbage, especially unhealthy & harmful one.

Raising awareness on the importance of recycling.

Promote for the win-win situation of recycling.

Set connections between local community and NGOs.

Building reputation and increasing the area`s recognition through the initiative.

Figure 86: Benefits of Trash becomes Cash Source: IUSD students 2012

64


»» The Project The project presented the start for a major change in the area on both levels: the first is the cleanliness, environment and health, while the second is the economic level of households as well. The group worked on establishing a network between the community, experts, NGOs and associations. »» Organic Wastes into Biogas Research was conducted in this phase on what are the degradable wastes, methods of turning wastes into resources, potential in the Biogas as an energy source, and the economic return of the project. “Biogas typically refers to a gas produced by the breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. It is a renewable energy source, like solar and wind energy. Biogas can be produced from locally available raw materials and recycled waste and is environmentally friendly and CO2 neutral. The gases methane, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide (CO) can be combusted or oxidized with oxygen. This energy release allows Biogas to be used as a fuel (Figure 87). Since Methane is flammable, this biogas can be used as a fuel for any heating purpose, such as cooking.” (Wikipedia, Biogas 2013). Although the gas provided by this method is limited to serve no more than 3-4 hours per day (2 hours in winter), (Interviewee, Hussein Farag), these few hours will be of great importance for Ezzbet AlNasr community since they are not connected to a natural gas network, and cannot afford being exploited each time they buy a gas cylinder besides the recurrent gas cylinder shortages, which put its price in unstable situation. The cost for the materials required for installing one self-made biogas unit (Figure 88) is around 1250 EGP, including the single flame cooker and a kitchen blender, besides the salary required for the technician experts.

Figure 87: Biodegradable Process from Organic Waste into the Biogas Source: Adopted by authors based on (Mechanical eng. online, 2011)

Figure 88: Biogas Unit Concept Source:IUSD students 2012

65


»» Networking The networking phase involved the process of approaching the local community through spending a lot of effort in talking to the people in Ezzbet Al-Nasr. Many informal meetings took place on the streets, which helped a lot in shaping the work through understanding the needs of the community, and observing the reaction of the people towards these newly introduced ideas. Accordingly new step was presented, which is raising the community awareness during the informal visits, meetings and street-talks (Figure 90). The networking phase also included networking with fundraising initiatives and technical support providers. For the fund-raising of the project, the students couldn’t ask the families to pay, since it is a new idea for the community to produce gas from their wastes, and because its cost is not easily afforded by most of them. In light of the previously mentioned situation, the students approached the NGO of Al-Musbah Al-Mudii which contributed to the success of the project through offering the financial support to install five Biogas units as a first step. This positive response came from the association’s work in recycling, cleanliness campaigns and charity works. While for the technical support, it was provided by two experts who are. Mr. Hussein Farag and Mr. Hany El- Khodary who were motivated by the idea and willing to contribute, they fully took the role of installing the five units along with the Students in Ezzbet Al-Nasr.

Figure 89: Network Coordination between Students & Local Community Source:IUSD students 2012

66

Figure 90: Network Coordination between Students & Local Community Source: IUSD students 2012


»» The Outcome The outcome of this project was the installation process

of the first five Biogas units in Ezzbet Al-Nasr. After getting the approval of the five selected families for the idea, and securing the financial and technical support, finally then came the installation process. While installing the biogas units on the selected houses in the area, the team organized a session to bring together local residents and to introduce the idea to them, in a more formal way. The raising awareness session 1 was held on the 18th December 2012 and was entitled “Let’s not throw it, let’s make use of it” and the monitoring of the project. Figure 91: Transferring the Biogas Units Source: IUSD students 2012

Since it is a new idea for the community to produce gas from their wastes, and because of its cost is not easily afforded by most of them. It was very important to ask for a financial support from an institution that would be in the first place interested in the general idea, and shows commitment to pursue the work on the long run with the people in Ezzbet Al-Nasr. Al-Musbah Al-Mudii has generously agreed to offer financial support to install five Biogas units as a first step. This positive response came from the association’s work in recycling, cleanliness campaigns and charity works.

Figure 92: Installation of the Biogas Units Source: IUSD students 2012

Two other people were involved in the installation phase. Mr. Hussein Farag and Mr. Hany El-Khodary1 are Egyptian experts who provided the technical support and actually took the role of installing the five units in Ezzbet Al-Nasr. The installation process of the first five Biogas units lasted for two weeks (Figures 91, 92, 93, 94). The work in these two weeks included:

Figure 93: Biodegradable Process Source: IUSD students 2012

Figure 94: Local Community Participation Source: IUSD students 2012

Buying the needed materials.

Communication between the selected candidates, experts and the funding partner.

Transferring the materials to the area.

The installation process itself.

In two cases, all the equipment and materials after delivering them to the selected candidates were removed due to either the candidate stepping back again or because of unsuitability of the construction.

67


3.4.3. AL-EZZBAH ASLY: Community Market (Abstract) »» Team Ayham Mouad Ebtihal Mattar Eslam Mahdy Ghevar Ismaiel Lisa Deister Mohammed Abdel Aziz Pia Lorenz »» Introduction Ezzbet Al-Nasr is one of the numerous informal settlements within Cairo. Its 60,000 inhabitants have squatted the land at the corner of the Autostrad and the Ring Road starting in the 1980s and until today, they have not gained any legal land rights of leasehold or ownership. Throughout time, the area has developed into an economically and socially active community. A thorough preliminary analysis of the economic, and built environment as well as systems of governance and environmental aspects concerning the area has identified key areas of intervention, such as security of tenure, quality of labour force, deteriorated buildings, mobility, overcrowding, informal real estate market, as well as the recognition and visibility of the area. The purpose of this report is to specifically tackle one of the mentioned topics for intervention: the improvement of the recognition and visibility of the area towards the outside. After a rigorous analysis of the available potentials in the area, a series of site visits, meetings and interviews with the local community for accurate information gathering, it was discovered that the area is home to creative craftsmanship. Since the neighbourhood houses many self-employed craftsmen who produce handmade carpets, embroidery, kitchen utensils, lamps and much more, ‘Al-Ezzbah Asly’ initiative attempts to promote the local craftsmen of the neighbourhood, establish a more positive image of the neighbourhood and make everybody realize the valuable contribution of Ezzbet Al-Nasr to Cairo’s universe of selfmade products. At the same time, it aims to facilitate a selfsustaining network between the supply of producing crafts and the demand side. 68


»» Project Background

Many businesses of self-employed craftsmen are not only located in informal settlements and thus part of the informal urban system due to their location, but they are also contributing to a large part of the informal economic system in Egypt. The informal economy can be described as an unregulated, non-formal portion of the market economy that produces goods and services for sale or for other forms of remuneration. The term “informal economy” refers to all economic activities by workers and economic units that are – in law or in practice – not covered or insufficiently covered by formal arrangements” (Becker, 2004). Informal enterprises constitute nearly 82% of the total economic units while the informal employment constitutes nearly 40% of the total labour force in Egypt (Attia, 2009). Micro-scale employment units ranging between one and four employees, constitute 58% of total employment in Egypt (Aref, 2012). The reasons for such a strong informal economy are manyfold. Some of the reasons which led to the increase in the informal sector in Egypt are including but not limited to privatization, diminishing role of the state and migration from rural to urban »» Problem Statement Figure 96: Products Showcasing Source: IUSD students 2012

In the context of Ezzbet Al-Nasr, these three identified determinants seem of considerable importance, especially concerning the locally producing micro-scale craftsmen. Over many other active but more large scale producing entities in the area, the sector of micro-scale handicrafts seemed particularly disadvantaged considering the following aspects. Accessibility to reach the craftsmen: It has been observed that there are many problems of accessibility and walking through the neighbourhood. This is due to the compact and very dense urban pattern in Ezzbet Al Nasr. The irregular and unpaved streets limit the movement which causes many difficulties for the handicrafts and their clients. Difficulty of loading the products and material to the clients is a main challenge for the craftsmen.

Figure 95: Workshop of One of the Craftsmen Source:IUSD students 2012

Showcasing the products: Most of the craftsmen work inside their homes, in a room or a small shop in the house. There are no signs or advertisement to market the kind of products they are producing. In addition, there are no out69


lets or display window to exhibit their products. Fear of Taxes: In such an informal area built on state owned land with no legislation or legal framework, most of the craftsmen work informally without any permits in micro businesses. They cannot afford to pay for taxes or they are incapable of going through all bureaucratic steps to legalize their work. No financial backup (Figure 97): The craftsmen work with very little capital or with no capital at all in most cases. They depend on receiving down payments from clients to buy the raw material for the products beforehand. They then get paid the rest of their money after handing over the products to the clients. Hence, it’s quite difficult for them to produce products or even samples for any community markets or exhibitions to market their work.

Current situation: No preproduction, sale on site

Client

Client Product order and down payment

Product handover and payment

Craftsman Figure 97: Current Situation without Financial Backup Source:IUSD students 2012

»» Objectives

‘Al-Ezzbah Asly’ aims to (1) enhance the exposure and recognition of the area, to (2) enable access to finance and to (3) promote human resource development. There are specific aims and measures chosen for implementation in order to achieve the mentioned objectives: •

Highlight the local assets and promote local economy

Develop a sustainable financing system with craftsmen

Facilitate financial inflow into the area

Encourage participation in business and handcraft skill enhancement

70


»» The Project The project works on setting business foundation for the local craftsmen in Ezzbet Al Nasr, so as to facilitate a selfsustaining network between the supply of produced crafts and the demand side. Business Plan and Work Permissions: This phase included all the administrative and planning activities carried out by the ‘Al-Ezzbah Asly’ team for setting-up the project such as Creating a Business Plan of ‘Al-Ezzbah Asly’ for describing the procedures of the project along with acquiring a permission from the district to launch the community market in Ezzbet Al-Nasr. This required the following; identifying the unique selling point of the craftsmen in Ezzbet Al-Nasr, suggesting a target group for the short-term project, describing the organisational set-up of the initiative (proposed options for the organisational set up) and proposing funding schemes supporting the production process of the craftsmen (Figure 99).

Figure 99: Proposed Option for the Business Plan Organizational Set-Up Source:IUSD students 2012

Coordination and Participation with the Local Community: In ‘Al Ezzbah Asly’, an essential approach to the project was to have people from the community be greatly involved into the formulation, implementation and monitoring phase of the project. This phase is divided into three stages. The initial one involved the participation of the local community to prepare a broad database of all the local crafts in the area. The second stage necessitated a short list of those craftsmen who will take part in the project. The third stage was initiating the project with the youth of Ezzbet Al-Nasr. The main aim of this stage is for the youth to assist the craftsmen for the handover of the project to them and for the responsibility of the Facebook page. Access to Finance: Access to finance is important for launching the project. Al-Ezzbah Asly group was involved in this phase as a ‘middle man’ assisting the local craftsmen to overcome financial bottlenecks, mostly by working together and presenting the project to various institutions and NGOs to acquire and provide them with seed funding. For the long term, the craftsmen themselves should take over responsibility of this process. A funding plan, loan scheme and organizational structures to cover the pre-production costs in the long-term were explored and developed.

Figure 98: Al-Ezzbah Asly Campaign Poster Source:IUSD students 2012

Human Resource Development: Human resource develop71


ment is one of the key aims to provide project sustainability and to widen the access to new markets. In order to do so, a potential connection to other craftsmen at the Souk Al-Fustat has been explored and a photo session with the craftsmen in order to develop their awareness for marketing has been organized. On top of this, a catalogue has been compiled naming different organizations offering the inhabitants of Ezzbet Al-Nasr to participate in their courses for product enhancement and business management. »» The Outcomes In order to highlight the local assets and promote the local economy through high exposure to the outside, through the initiation of a ‘friends of Al-Ezzbah Asly’ network and the creation of a map for marketing purposes through a community mapping much advertising and campaigning within and outside the neighbourhood was necessary. First and foremost, it was essential to build trust with the local craftsmen, ensure credibility of the project to the friends and potential funders of the project and reach the target group of crafts-demanding citizens who would be interested in buying from Ezzbet Al-Nasr’s craftsmen. Ongoing events needed to be shared frequently. For that purpose, ‘Al-Ezzbah Asly’ facebook page was set-up and a community market in ‘The District’ co-working space was arranged. Posters, brochures and flyers were distributed. Furthermore, ‘Al-Ezzbah Asly’ aims to market its product in a big exhibition organized by the IUSD that will took place on the 9th of February 2012 in Ezzbet Al-Nasr. A community mapping event will take place, where the local community map their economic assets on site. The map on the following page constitutes the base of this activity.

Figure 100: Al-Ezzbah Asly Craftsmen Portfolio Source:IUSD students 2012

Map for the craftsman workshops in Ezbet Al-Nasr in Cairo Furniture Workshops Stone Workshops

Broom -Palm midribs

Furniture Workshops Furniture Painting Workshops Copper lamp-frames

Furniture Workshops

Tricot, Canvas & Curtains

Tricot, Canvas & Curtains

Marble Workshops

Furniture Painting Workshops Wire-frames Workshops

Furniture Workshops Tricot, Canvas & Curtains Wire-frames Workshops

Broom -Palm midribs Workshops Furniture Painting Workshops Figure 102: Al-EzzbahFurniture Asly Crafts Mapping in Ezzbet Al-Nasr Stone Workshops Tricot, Canvas & Curtains Marble Workshops Source:IUSD students 2012 Wire-frames Workshops (Lamps, etc..)

72

Copper lamp-frames

Al-Ezzba Asly Community Market

Furniture Painting Workshops

Figure 101: Al-Ezzbah Asly Community Market in the District December Bash December 2012


3.4.4.STREETSCAPE CHILDREN AS DESIGN PARTNERS PROJECT »» Team Mona Farouk - IUSD Student Manal Fakhouri - IUSD Student Mohamed Amer Hegazy - IUSD Student Zeineb Madiouni - IUSD Student Insaf Ben Othmane Hamrouni- IUSD Student »» Introduction Children as design partner’ is a participatory project in ‘Al Shaheed Muhammad Al-Durrah’ in Ezzbet Al-Nasr. The project is aiming at enhancing the streetscape in front of the school. The project, beyond its physical achievement, is aiming also at involving school children in participating in their space. Role learning is the common learning system observed in the school. The children in Ezzbet Al-Nasr, lack opportunities in creativity and design exercises due to the education system and the limited educational staff. Sensitizing children to the spatial dimension is an important step to ameliorate the situation in Ezzbet Al- Nasr. Targeting the school is a trigger event to such initiatives in the area through creating a network of partners around and series of creativity workshops to give space to the youngest actor in the area to be active in their school and neighbourhood. The children are introduced to creativity and design tasks to elaborate their vision of the street in front of their school. »» Project Background The school complex and the area around is considered as a main attraction point and a landmark, as it is almost the only facility existing in the area. Children head towards the school daily from all over the area and from outside neighbourhood of Ezzbet El-Nasr, the same for the teachers. Besides, it is near the entrance to the area from the Autostrad and close to the newly under construction youth center and the newly constructed market space, which indicates that the area is potentially going to be more of an attraction point. »» Problem Statement

Figure 103: Networking Tools Source:IUSD students 2012

The lack of any kind of streetscaping for the school complex, though it is considered as a main attraction point in the area. The students’ Negative attitudes where the chil73


dren of Ezzbet Al-Nasr lack opportunities for creativity and design exercises; due to the existing education system and the limited number of the educational staff. These outlines represented an alert for the potential threat of having any development without involving the actors wouldn’t be sustainable. This has led to the project redefinition »» Objectives •

Accessibility-Mobility: Improve the physical conditions of the streets.

Perception: Improve children’s relationship with School.

Participation: Involve student&teachers to work together to improve the school’s surrounding environment.

Integration - Security – sense of ownership: Involve neighbouring residents in the process. »» The Project

The process is divided in three phases. Networking and preparation phase that aim to build network between potential associations, NGO’s and individuals in the field of Figure 105: Streetscape Design-School students work. Coordination and preparation phase that covers the Source:IUSD students 2012 workshops with the children and different partners and volunteers. Finally the promotion and assessment phase through potential implementation and IUSD exhibition. Networking and Project Preparation Phase: This workshop grew out from just beautification of a street into the interest of effectively engaging the children in visualising and imagining their daily used space. IUSD students also took into consideration that preparing, networking and attracting volunteers as an important part of the work, which is a key step in presenting the area to other associations and volunteers for further initiatives. Coordination and Students’ Preparation Phase: During this phase, the children were introduced to creativity and design tasks to elaborate their vision of the street in front of their school. This was a strategic goal as well as a key step for civil work and community mobilisation in Ezzbet Al-Nasr. Promotion and Assessment phase: In this phase the workshops’ outcomes were analysed, designs were produced and the implementation of these designs occurred, the details Figure 104: Streetscape Design Project Process concerning the activities involved in the implementation. Source:IUSD students 2012

74


»» The Outcomes

Figure 106: Streetscape Design Workshops Source: IUSD students 2012

Date

Activity

Location

General Tasks

23/01/2013 Wednesday

Introductory Meeting with Participants (to be confirmed)

IUSD room, Faculty of architecture in ASU, Abbasiya

Determining who can do what & finalising the detailed schedule of the workshop to give the children a successful design experience

27/01/2013 Sunday

Kick off Meeting + Warm-Up Event

Al-Shaheed Muhammad Al-Durrah School, Ezzbet Al-Nasr

Preparing a working space Registering children Introducing children to the idea

28/01/2013 Monday

Creativity Stimulation Workshop 1: Free art/ Crafts Lunch Break Group Reflection & preparation for next day

Al-Shaheed Muhammad Al-Durrah School, Ezzbet Al-Nasr

Moderating, guiding, regulating, motivating, photographing, communicating and facilitating workshop tasks

29/01/2013 Tuesday

Creativity Stimulation Workshop 2: free crafts & art Lunch Break Group Reflection & preparation

Al-Shaheed Muhammad Al-Durrah School, Ezzbet Al-Nasr

Moderating, guiding, regu¬lating, motivating, photographing, communicating and facilitating workshop tasks

30/01/2013 Wednesday

Design Stimulation Workshop 3: Drawing /Models Lunch Break Group Reflection & preparation

Al-Shaheed Muhammad Al-Durrah School, Ezzbet Al-Nasr

Moderating, guiding, regulating, motivating, photographing, communicating and facilitating workshop tasks

Table 08: Streetscape Design Workshops Schedule Source: IUSD Students 2012

Figure 107: Streetscape Design Workshops Diagram Source:IUSD students 2012

75


3.5 IUSD Exhibition Day The adopted integrated planning approach has offered insights into complex issues forming urban life while engaging all stakeholders and actors involved in the implementation of the four projects. These fruitful partnerships among involved stakeholders helped to bring the ideas into the light and transformed the theories into collaborative and structured interventions on the ground. In this context, the four projects managed to promote the assets of the area and communicate the problems of the community to other stakeholders – particularly those, who the local community could not think of or approach. This is evident in the success of attracting NGOs outside the study area to participate in developing some of the projects as well as gaining media attention to cover the final projects. To finalise their work in Ezzbet Al-Nasr and to hand over the projects to the local community, IUSD organised a one day exhibition on site which also marked the end of the Integrated Case Study (ICS) Module. This day involved all the four projects. This day was announced on social media such as the facebook groups of each project. The exhibition day included the second community market of Al-Ezzbah Asly and the launching of Al-Mazarita Toolbook, the promotion and awareness raising of the Biogas tanks idea and the handing over of the projects for the students who participated in the Children as Design Partners workshops. It is also worth to mention that the interdisciplinary character of these projects requires serious following up procedures. The students obviously succeeded communicating with the community, raising necessary funds and initiating the projects within the limited time of the academic course. However, students handed over the projects to the local community for following up and monitoring after the academic course had ended. In fact, this poses the question of: “Will the community respond back effectively so the projects’ ideas could sustain and new life cycles for these projects would be opened?”

76


The following are a collection of photos from the IUSD Exhibition Day that was carried out in Ezzbet Al-Nasr for the project hand-over. Figure 108: Exhibition Day Source:IUSD students 2012

77


78


79


80


aa


aa


References Allam, K. (1993) City Planning. Cairo: The Anglo Egyptian Bookshop Aref, A. (2012, June 14). Empowering SMEs. Retrieved December 16, 2012, from Business Today Egypt: http://www.businesstodayegypt.com/news/display/article/artId:410/Empowering-SMEs/secId:5 Article 874 of the Civil Law No. 131 of 1948 Attia, S. M. (2009, January 27). The informal Economy as an engine for poverty reduction and development in Egypt. Retrieved December 17, 2012, from Munich Personal RePEc Archive: http://mpra. ub.uni-muenchen.de/13034/ Becker, K. F. (2004, March). The Informal Economy. Retrieved December 18, 2012, from SIDA: http://rru.worldbank.org/Documents/PapersLinks/Sida.pdf Benninger, C. C. (2001, October). Retrieved August 2013, from http://www.ccba.in/ccb-lec-7.htm Beratung, B.-u.-G., Ball, E., Haberstock, H., Lynar, U., & Skrzipczyk, A. (2011). Integrated Approach for Energy Efficient Residential Areas. Germany: German association for housing, urba n& spatial development (DV). Beratungs B.&S.U., B. E. (2011). Integrated Urban Development Approach Targetting at Energy Effiecient Residential Areas. Germany: German Association for Housing, Urban and Spatial Development (DV) e.V., Germany. Colini, L., & Tripodi, L. (2010). Sustainable Urban Development, Implementation praxis of Art 8, (n°2009.CE.16.0.AT.109) . European Commission -DGRegional Policy Directorate C.:’Policy development’ Unit C2: ‘Urban development,. Cooperative Housing Law/1981: 16, 20, 23, 24, 93, 73, 74 Durand-Lasserve Alain (2007) The formalisation of urban land tenure in developing countries El Arabi, N. E. (1999) Problems of groundwater quality related to the urban environment in Greater Cairo[on¬line] available from <http://iahs.info/redbooks/a259/iahs_259_0029.pdf> [24 October 2012] Flodman Becker, K. (2004) The Informal Economy [online] Stockholm: Sida. available from < http:// rru.worldbank.org/ Documents/PapersLinks/Sida.pdf> [4 November 2012] GOPP and UN-HABITAT (2006) Strategic Urban Planning for Small Cities Project: Terms of reference for preparing strategic urban plans for small cities in Egypt, [online]: http://163.121.56.10/supscp/TORs100607/SUPSCP-Urban%20 Planning-TOR.pdf


Gurteen Knowledge Community website, ‘Knowledge Café’, [online]: http://www.gurteen. com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/id/kcafe Hamdi (1997) Action Planning for Cities, A Guide to Community Practice Hany El-Khodary (2012), Interview on possibility of implementing the Biogas units in Ezbet Al-Nasr, by Sandy Qarmout [Skype meeting], 14 December 2012, 14:30. Harvey, D. (1992) Social Justice, Postmoderism and the City, in: Fainstein, S. and Campbell, S. (eds) Readings in Urban Theory, Oxford, Wiley-Blackwell: 386-402.) IFRC (2012)What is vulnerability? [online] available from http:// www.ifrc.org: http://www.ifrc.org/ en/what-we-do/disaster-management/about-disasters/what-is-a-disaster/what-is-vulnerability/ [14 October2012] ISDR (2005, January 22) International Strategy for Disaster Reduction.[online] available from http:// www. unisdr.org/2005/ wcdr/intergover/official-doc/L-docs/Hyogo-framework-for-action-english. pdf [15 October 2012] IUSD (2012), Integrated Site Analysis: The case of Ezbet Al-Nasr, unpublished report, Ain-Shams Uni., Cairo. John Ziegel (1981 )Inquiry by design :Tools for environment behavior research Cambridge university press Cambridge CB1 2RP , United kingdom. Ketterer, I. & Schade, C. (2011) Diplomarbeit über Ezzbet al-Nasr, Kairo. Published Diploma. Stuttgart: Stuttgart University Kitzinger, Jenny. “Qualitative research. Introducing focus groups.” BMJ: British medical journal 311.7000 (1995): 299. Kotval, Z. (2003) ‘Teaching Experiential Learning in the Urban Planning Curriculum’, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, vol. 27, no.3, pp. 297—308. Kranjc, A. (2006) Baltazar Hacquet (1739/40-1815), the pioneer of karst geomorphologists. Acta carsologica [online] 35 (2), p. 163-168. Available from http://www.dlib. si/?URN=URN:NBN:SI:DOCXBSU59HS [24 October2012] Marshall, C. and Rossman, G. (2006) Designing Qualitative Research, Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 4th edition. Marzluff, J.; Shulenberger, E.; Endlicher, W.; Alberti,M.; Bradley, G.; Ryan, C.; Zum Brunnen, C.; Simon, U.(Eds.) (2008) Urban Ecology - An International Perspective on the Interaction Between Humans and Nature. Springer Mattingly M., W. H. (1999). Integrated action planning in Nepal: Spatial and Inverstment planninng in urban areas. Nepal. Mechanical engineering (2011), Biogas production from human waste [online] available from < http://www.mechanicalengineeringblog.com/2180-biogas-production-from-human-waste-anaerobicdigestion-anaerobic-fermentation-methane-production-methane-emission/ > [13 January 2013]


Miles J. (2009) Costumary and Islamic law and its deveopment in africa , African development bank , accessed online : (https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:if4tnRrILCsJ:https://www.mcgill. ca/files/isid/LDR.3.pdf+customary+law+mali+case+islamic+cairo&hl=ar&gl=eg&pid=bl&srcid=AD GEESirI8sB6mqdww4XTIZ9-fo5-Vr6boufyl0sB714uBCDg3eV0ubc4Z6O16YjQ1MuwRp9vLJyx2lb2916sr-bBLfAko1koYHURJnvKxPQ3bLam8LBPl_BQiA9w-C4E3zrr2225Io7&sig=AHIEtbQvjmvb9O5 YcB_96xRDfpcDs9bmWg) O’Donnell S. (2009), Are Ashwa’iyyat Really the Problem? Oswalt, P. and Misselwitz, P. (2006) Patterns of Unplanned,Urban Catalyst. In K. A. Franck, Loose Space:Diversity and Possibility in Urban Life, 271-289. Oxon: Taylor & Francis, 2006 Payne, G. (2000) Urban land Tenure Policy Options: Titles or Rights? Paper presented at World Bank Urban Forum, Westfield Marriott, VA. http://www.worldbank. org/html/fpd/urban/forum2000/papers/realestate.pdf (27.06.2006) Piffero, E., 2009. What Happened to Participation? Urban Development and Authoritarian Upgrading in Cairo’s Informal Neighborhoods. Italy:Libera la ricerca. Porter, L. (2011) Informality, the Commons and the Paradoxes for Planning: Concepts and Debates for Informality and Planning. Planning Theory & Practice, pp.118 Rehabimed (2008): RehabiMed Method for rehabilitation of traditional Mediterranean Architecture. Conference paper: An approach to the integrated renovation traditional sites, p. 23 [online] available from <http://www.rehabimed.net/Publicacions/ Metode_Rehabimed/Metode_RehabiMed/EN/I. Rehabilitation- TownandTerritory.pdf > [20 October 2012] Runkel, C. (2009) The Role of Urban Land Titling in Slum Improvement –the Case of Cairo, A critical examination of the GTZ land titling programme in Manshiet Nasser, Diploma Thesis. Available at: egypt-urban.pdp-gtz.de1.cc/wp-content/.../Thesis_Runkel_GTZ.pdf Séjourné, Marion (2012). The History of Informal Settlements. In. ABOUT CAIRO AND ITS INFORMAL AREAS available at: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:38rVaFZTkCQJ:www. citiesalliance.org/sites/citiesalliance.org/files/CA_Docs/resources/Cairo‘s%2520Informal%2520Ar eas%2520Between%2520Urban%2520Challenges%2520and%2520Hidden%2520Potentials/CairosInformalAreas_Ch1.pdf+%22About+cairo+and+its+informal+areas%22&hl=ar&gl=eg&pid=bl&sr cid=ADGEESgILgT-4KPVgGjWwINgVRWvGE9-MskWvh4sGff5dulbyQbq20wsjlUs5cRxhtRGWKgGhgbEQhznxfq-68Srce8RysOedHCbyGKYqHFUleS6xd43fGs1HIMXQLzSFZh6xCsTuy16&sig=AHIEt bRnRXjiFwLezKiqpXCD1NHgOUCE0g Siedentop, S. (2012) Methods in spatial planning [Lecture] Module Regional Planning II, Summer Term: Stuttgart University The World Bank (2011) What is Local economic development [online] available from <http://web. worldbank.org/WBSITE/ EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTURBANDEVELOPMENT/EXTLED/0,, conten tMDK:20185186~menuPK:399161~pagePK:148956~piPK: 216618~theSitePK:341139,00.html>[10 October 2012] TU Berlin (2010) Improving informal areas in greater Cairo. The cases of Ezzbet Al Nasr & Dayer Al Nahia. MSc Urban Management Program. [online] available from <http://www. wanacu.tuberlin.de/ fileadmin/f6_wanacu/Reports_and_ Publications/UM_Final_Report_Cairo100929.pdf> [18 Octo-


ber 2012] TU Berlin, GTZ (2010) Improving informal areas in Greater Cairo: Ezzbet Al Nasr & Dayer El Nahia. 1sted. Urban Management Program. TU Berlin: Technical University Berlin UN HABITAT (2012). Tapping The Potential: The Role Of Grassroots In Land Policy Implementation. UNON, Publishing Services Section, Nairobi UN-HABITAT (2001) Tools to Support Participatory Urban Decision Making, Urban Governance Toolkit Series, UNCHS Habitat: Nairobi, [online]: http://cn.unhabitat.org/downloads/ docs/7196_98990_toolkit_presentation_IFUP. pdf UNHABITAT (2003) definition: United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UNHABITAT). (2003). Handbook on Best Practices, Security of Tenure and Access to Land: Implementation of The Habitat Agenda. Nairobi: UNHABITAT. UN-Habitat (2004a:19) UN-Habitat (2004a) Global Campaign For Secure Tenure. United Nations Human Settlements Programme (HS/731/04E), Nairobi. http://ww2.unhabitat.org/campaigns/tenure/documents/conceptpaper2.pdf (29.11.2006) UN-Habitat (2005) Promoting Local Economic Development through Strategic Planning. Trainer’s Guide, Vol. 5 UNHABITAT (2005a) Islam: Land and Property research series UN-Habitat (2008) Global Campaign For Secure Tenure - Background. United Nations Settlement Programme, Nairobi. http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=2068&catid=24&typeid=24&subM enuId=0 (05.12.2008) UN-Habitat (2009) Sustainable Cities and Localizing Agenda 21 Programmes [online] available from http://www.unhabitat.org/ content.asp?typeid=19&ca tid=540&cid=5020&activeid=5008 [18 October 2012] UN-Habitat (2010) SECURITY OF TENURE- BEST PRACTICES -. Land and Tenure Section, Shelter Branch. http://www.unhabitat.org/downloads/docs/10784_1_594339.pdf?cid=2068&catid=24&type id=24&subMenuId=0 UN-HABITAT, U. N. (2010). PLANNING SUSTAINABLE CITIES, UN-HABITAT PRACTICES AND PERSPECTIVES. United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT). UUU (2010a) Report of the development plan for Ezzbet Al-Nasr. Official documents provided by Ahmad, A.,Urban Upgrading Unit (UUU) UUU (2010b) Minutes of Meetings dated 15, 22, 29 /06 / 2010. Official documents provided by Ahmad, A.,Urban Upgrading Unit (UUU) Viney, S. (2012). Informal economy presents challenges, but also opportunities. Retrieved December 18, 2012, from http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/informal-economy-presents-challengesalso-opportunities WHO, W. H. (1999). Towards a new planning process, a guide to reorienting urban planning towards local agenda 21. European sustainable development and health series:3. World Health Organization WHO.


Wikipedia (2012), Biodegradable waste [online] available from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_waste> [14 January 2013] Wikipedia (2013), Biogas [online] available from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_waste> [13 January 2013] World Bank (2011) What is Governance? [online] available from <http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/ EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/MENAAEXT/ EXTMNA REGTOPGO VERNANCE /0,,contentMDK:20513159~ pagePK:34004173~piPK:34003707~theSitePK:497024,00.html> [20 October 2012] World Bank Website, ‘Transect Walks’, [online]: http:// siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTTOPPSISOU/Resource World Planning Congress. (2006). REINVENTING PLANNING:A NEW GOVERNANCE PARADIGM FOR MANAGING HUMAN SETTLEMENTS. World Planning Congress, A Position Paper developing themes from the Draft Vancouver Declaration for debate leading into the World Planners Congress, Vancouver 17-20 June 2006. Youssef, T. (1979) Control of Groundwater-Levels in Cairo, Egypt, after the High Dam [online] available from <http://iahs.info/ redbooks/a142/142046.pdf>[24 October 2012] Interviews Ahmad S. (2012) inhabitant of Ezbet Al Nasr [interview by A. Mouad] Ezbet Al Nasr, 12.09.2012 Ahmad, A. and Shouadfy, S. (2012) Executive director of the UUU [interview by Arous, R., Lorenz, P., Farouk, M., Mitkees, L., Shaalan, M.] Cairo Governorate Headquarter, 23 September 2012 Anonymous student (2012) [interviewed by Wanas, O. , Abdel Aziz, M.] 18 September 2012 Hasaneen, A. (2012) Executive Director of UUU [interview by Nabil, N. &Hegazy, M. A.] Cairo Governorate. 23 September 2012 Local social worker (2012) local social worker in Ezbet Al Nasr [interview by S. Qarmout] Ezbet Al Nasr, 18.09.2012 Mona (2012) garbage collector in Ezbet Al Nasr [interview by S. Qarmout] Ezbet Al Nasr, 18.09.2012 Mouelhi, H. (2012) Integrated Case Study [lecture] seminar INT697, 12 September 2012. Cairo: Ain Shams University Osama, workshop owner (2012) [interviewed by Wanas, Abdel Aziz] 18 September 2012 Safaa, lady from Ezzbet Al-Nasr(2012) [interviewed by Wanas, O. , Abdel Aziz, M. ] 18 September 2012 Salheen, M. (2012) Integrated Case Study [lecture] seminar INT697, 26 September 2012. Cairo: Ain Shams University Shaaban, A. (2012) Local contractor [interviewed by Nabil, N. & Hegazy, M. A.] Ezzbet Al-Nasr. 24 Sept 2012


aa


Š IUSD Masters Program 2012 Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without permissssion in writing from the publisher. Dar Al-Kutb no. 15852/2014 ISBN 978-977-237-382-6


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.